University of the Cordilleras

College of Teacher Education

Center of Excellence in Teacher Education

Experiment No. 8
FORCE INTERACTIVE (FRICTIONLESS)
NEWTON’S LAWS OF MOTION: FORCE, MASS AND ACCELERATION

Name:__________________________________ Score:____________/_____________
Schedule:_______________________________ Date Performed_________________
Group No.______________________________ Date Submitted:________________

I. OBJECTIVE
At the end of the experiment, the student is expected to:
1. The purpose of this activity is to investigate the variables that affect the acceleration
of an object and the manner in which those variables affect the acceleration.
2. State the relationship between the acceleration and the mass of the body acted upon
by a constant force with varying mass, and acted by constant mass with varying
force; and
3. Interpret the acceleration vs. time graph.

II. APPARATUS
 Refer to the link on Physics Classroom Interactive – Newton’s laws of Motion
https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Physics-Interactives/Newtons-Laws/Force/Force-
Interactive

III. PROCEDURE: (Background)

When forces are unbalanced, objects accelerate. But what exactly affects the acceleration
of the object? You will explore this question by running a collection of simulations in the absence
of friction. Set the friction value to 0.00 and run the following trials. Collect sufficient velocity-
time information (fifth column) for determining the acceleration in the last column.

Data:

TRIA APPLIED MASS NET VELOCITY-TIME ACCELERATION

L FORCE (N) (KG) FORCE (N) INFORMATION (m/s2)
1 10 2
 2 20 2
3 40 2
4 60 2
5 80 2
6 100 2
7 40 1
8 40 3
9 40 4
10 40 5

IV. COMPUTATIONS
 Show/Perform all necessary computations

V. DIAGRAM
 Document every trials/settings that you vary from the force interactive software.

VI. CONCLUSION (Consider the original question that prompted this investigation)

1. What variables affect the acceleration of an object and in what manner do they affect the
acceleration?
2. Make a claim in which you attempt to answer this question. Then support the claim with
evidence (specific references to trials of data) and reasoning in which you explain how the data
support the claim that you have made.

VII. OBSERVATION

VIII. QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS

Use the Collected data to answer the questions below:

Analysis:
1. What affect does a doubling of the net force have upon the acceleration of the
object? Be quantitative. (Don't just say it decreases or increases; indicate the factor by
which acceleration decreases or increases.)

Identify a set of two trials that support your answer above:_____________________________

2. What affect does a tripling of the net force have upon the acceleration of the object? Be quantitative.
Identify a set of two trials that support your answer above:_____________________________

3. What affect does a doubling of the mass have upon the acceleration of the object?
Be quantitative.

Identify a set of two trials that support your answer above:_____________________________

4. What affect does a quadrupling of the mass have upon the acceleration of the
object? Be quantitative.

Identify a set of two trials that support your answer above:____________________________

5. Lab partners Vera and Bill Confuzzens attempted to use Trials 5 and 8 to show the
effect that a doubling of force has upon the acceleration. Explain why these two
trials cannot be used to show the effect of force upon acceleration.

IX. ENHANCEMENT ACTIVITIES- Support your solutions by means of a free body diagram.

1. What is the force on an object that goes from 60 m/s to 100 m/s in 20 seconds and has a mass of 148
kg? Ans._______________

2. Calculate the force in dynes on an object that has a mass of 12 g and an acceleration of 4 cm/s 2.
Ans.________________
3. Find the acceleration if a 4,000-N force acts on a 200-kg object. Ans.______________

4. Determine the acceleration of the system in the figure to the right.

Ans.______________

20 kg

5. What is the net force acting on the following system?

20 kg

For items 6-8: find the net force acting on each system

6._______________ 7._______________ 8._________________

9. Find the acceleration of a 100N block being pushed horizontally to the right by a 200N force.

10. Find the acceleration of a 100N block if it is pulled with a force of 200N at an angle of 20 0 along the
horizontal.

11. Find the normal force and the net force that will accelerate a 10.2 kg object by 2m/s 2

12. Find the normal force of a 100kg block of wood being pushed horizontally with a 150N force from
the left.
13. Find the normal force of 100kg block of wood being pushed at a 30 0 angle from the horizontal with a
150N force.

X. REFERENCES

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Physics-Interactives/Newtons-Laws/Force/Force-Interactive

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Physics-Interactives/Newtons-Laws/Force/Force-Exercise-1

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Physics-Interactives/Newtons-Laws/Force/Force-Exercise-2