PHYSICS LABORATORY REPORT

NEWTON’S LAW

Charles Chrisstianto
2702359055

BINUS-ASO SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

[28/09/2023]
 Experiment
Newton Law

I. OBJECTIVE
a. At the end of this topic students can understand and explain:
- Newton’s Second Law
- Acceleration Down an Incline
- Conservation of Momentum in Explosions
- Conservation of Momentum in Collisions

II. INTRODUCTION
Isaac Newton, in his greatest discovery ‘Principia’ was telling us about 3 basic laws
for motion matter that known as 3 Newton’s Laws:
1. Newton’s First Law of Motion: “An object at rest stays at rest and an object in
motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted
upon by an unbalanced force.” This law is known as Law of Inertia.

2. Newton’s Second Law of Motion: “The acceleration of an object as produced by a

net force is directly proportional to the magnitude of the net force, in the same
direction as the net force, and inversely proportional to the mass of the object.”
This verbal statement can be expressed in equation form as follows:
Δ( m⃗v )
= { F⃗ ¿
Δt
1
Mostly, mass is considered as constant:
Δ( m⃗v ) m Δ⃗v
= = m⃗a
Δt Δt
Or
F⃗
⃗a = ⇔ { F⃗ = m⃗a ¿
m
2

3. Newton’s Third Law of Motion: “For every action, there is an equal and opposite
reaction.”.
F ACT =−F REACT 3
 These laws are becoming the basic of theory of classical mechanics that make a great
grade in the world because it can explain almost all of the phenomenons of motion even
the movement of planets. The weaknesses of the theory of classical mechanics are failing
to explain a few experiments which held on the beginning of 20th century, so that
stimulate the emergence of the theory of relativistic mechanics and the theory of
quantum mechanics. However, theories of classical mechanics are accurate enough if
implemented for the phenomenon of motion in macro scale and everyday life.

Newton second Law

Newton’s Second Law state that F=ma , where F is the net force acting on the object
of mass m, and a is the resulting acceleration of the object. For a cart of mass m1 on a
horizontal track with a string attached over a pulley to a hanging mass m2 (see Figure 1),
the net force F on the entire system (cart and hanging mass) is the weight of hanging
mass, F = m2g, (assuming that friction is negligible).

Figure 1

According to Newton’s Second Law, this net force should be equal to ma, where m is
the total mass that is being accelerated, which in this case is m1 + m2. You will check to
see if m2g = (m1 + m2)a as predicted by theory.
To determine the acceleration, you will release the cart from rest and measure the
2
time (t) for it to travel a certain distance (d). Since d=(1/2)at , the acceleration can be
2
calculated using a=2 d / t .

Acceleration Down an Incline

A cart of mass m on an incline will roll down the incline as it is pulled by gravity. The
force of gravity (mg) is straight down as shown in Figure 2. The component of that is
parallel to the inclined surface is mg sin θ .
 Figure 2
To determine the acceleration, you will release the cart from rest and measure the
2
time (t) for it to travel a certain distance (d). Since d=(1/2)at , the acceleration can be
2
calculated using a=2 d / t . A plot of a versus sin θ will be a straight line with a slope
equal to the acceleration of an object in free-fall, g.

Conservation of Momentum in Explosions

When two carts push away from each other (and there is no net force on the system),
the total momentum is conserved. If the system is initially at rest, the final momentum of
the two carts must be equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to each other so the
resulting total momentum of the system is zero:
p=m1 ⃗
v 1−m2 ⃗
v 2 =0 4
Therefore, the ratio of the final speeds of the carts is equal to the ratio of the masses
of the carts.

5
To simplify this experiment, the starting point for the carts at rest is chosen so that the
two carts will reach the ends of the track simultaneously. The speed, which is the
distance divided by the time, can be determined by measuring the distance traveled since
the time traveled by each cart is the same.

v1
=
( )
Δt
Δx 1

=
Δx 1

( )
v2 Δx 2 Δx 2
Δt 6
Thus the ratio of the distances is equal to the ratio of the masses:

7
Conservation of Momentum in Collisions
When two carts collide with each other, the total momentum of both carts is
conserved regardless of the type of collision.
An elastic collision is one in which the carts bounce off each other with no loss of
kinetic energy. In this experiment, magnetic bumpers are used to minimize the energy
losses due to friction during the collision. In reality, this “elastic” collision is slightly
inelastic. A completely inelastic collision is one in which the carts hit and stick to each
other. In this experiment, this is accomplished with the hook-and-loop bumpers on the
carts.
III. PROCEDURE
Newton’s second law
a. Equipment
No Quantity Name
1 1 Track with Feet and End Stop
2 1 PAScar
3 1 Cart Mass
4 1 Super Pulley with Clamp
5 1 Stopwatch
6 1 Mass hanger and mass set
7 1 Mass balance
8 1 String (about 2 m)

b. Laboratory Setup
Experiment Procedure
1. Install the feet on the track and level it.
2. Install the end stop on the track near one end with the magnets facing away
from the track.
3. Measure the mass of the cart and record it in Table 1.
4. Attach the pulley and end stop to the track as shown in Figure 1. Place the
cart on the track. Tie a string to the lower attachment point of the cart. Tie a
mass hanger on the other end of the string. Run the string under the end stop
and over the pulley. Adjust the pulley so that the string runs parallel to the
track. The string must be just long enough so the cart reaches the end stop
before the mass hanger reaches the floor.
5. Pull the cart back until the mass hanger reaches the pulley. Record this initial
release position in Table 1. This will be the release position for all the trials.
Make a test run to determine how much mass is required on the mass hanger
so that the cart takes about 2 seconds to complete the run. Because of
reaction time, too short of a total time will cause too much error. However, if
the cart moves too slowly, friction causes too much error. Record the
hanging mass in Table 1.
6. Place the cart against the end stop on the pulley end of the track and record
the final position of the cart in Table 1.
7. Pull the cart back to the initial release position. Release it and time how long
it takes to reach the end stop. Record the time in Table 1.
8. Measure the time at least 5 times with the same mass and record these values
in Table 1.
9. Add a 200 g mass to the cart and repeat the procedure.
 Table 1 Experimental period
Initial release position = 65 cm
Final Position = 5 cm
Distance traveled (d) = 60 cm
Time Standard
Cart Hanging Average
Deviation
Mass Mass Time
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5 of t
254.9 g 7g 2.15 2.19 2.10 2.16 2.12 2.144 0.03507

454.9 g 7g 2.72 2.75 2.75 2.82 2.87 2.782 0.06140

c. Analysis
1. Calculate the average times and record them in Table 1.
2. Record the distance traveled (from initial to final position) in Table 1.
3. Calculate the accelerations and record them Table 2.
4. For each case, calculate (m1 + m2)a and record in Table 2.
5. For each case, calculate the net force, FNET, and record in Table 2.
6. For each case, calculate the percent difference between FNET and (m1 + m2)a
and record in Table 2.
Table 2
Standard
Cart Mass Acceleration (m1+m2)a FNET=m2g %Difference
Deviation of a
0.2619 0.261055 0.008547 0.06837 0.068649 0.4064%
0.4619 0.155048 0.006751 0.07161 0.068649 4.3132%

7. Did the results of this experiment verify that F=ma ?

Yes, from the data we can prove that f =ma , but we can see that there is still
a fairly large percentage difference in the 2nd data of 4 per cent, this happens
because the data collection is not much and the calculation of time that has a
deviation causes a fairly large standard deviation compared to the 1st data.

8. Why must the mass in F=ma include the hanging mass as well as the mass
of the cart?
weight force
Hanging
Cart

From newton's second law experiment carried out we can assume (simplify)
as shown above where actually the mass between the cart and the hanger
has become one unit (we write with m1 +m2) and is pulled by weight force (
m2 g ), so this is the reason why not only the mass of the cart is calculated
but the mass of the hanger is also calculated into the calculation.
Acceleration Down an Incline
a. Equipment
No Quantity Name
1 1 Track with End Stop
2 1 PAScar
3 1 Pivot Clamp
4 1 Base and support rod
5 1 Stopwatch

b. Laboratory Setup
Experiment Procedure
1. Set up the track as shown in Figure 3.3 with a pivot clamp and support stand.
Elevate the end of the track by about 10 cm.

Figure 3

2. Set the cart on the track against the end stop and record this final position in
Table 3. (Use the non-magnetic end of the cart so it touches the end stop.)
3. Pull the cart up to the top of the track and record the initial position where
the cart will be released from rest.
4. Release the cart from rest and use the stopwatch to time how long it takes
the cart to reach the end stop. The person who releases the cart should also
operate the stopwatch. Repeat this measurement 10 times (with different
people doing the timing). Record all the values in Table 3.
5. Lower the end of the track by 1 cm and repeat step 4. Use the same release
position.
6. Repeat step 4 for a total of 7 angles, lowering the end of the track by 1 cm
for each new angle.
 Table 3 Data
Initial release position = 45 cm
Final Position = 5 cm
Distance traveled (d) = 40 cm
Height of Track
10 cm 9 cm 8 cm 7 cm 6 cm 5 cm 4 cm
Trial 1 0.62 0.85 0.75 0.91 0.97 0.91 1.00
Trial 2 0.62 0.75 0.78 0.90 0.88 0.87 0.88
Trial 3 0.62 0.72 0.79 0.84 1.00 0.90 0.94
Trial 4 0.53 0.75 0.88 0.88 0.90 0.91 1.07
Trial 5 0.59 0.75 0.88 0.97 1.00 0.94 1.03
Time Trial 6 0.57 0.75 0.90 0.90 1.01 0.91 1.10
Trial 7 0.68 0.79 0.78 0.88 1.00 0.92 1.03
Trial 8 0.69 0.71 0.90 0.90 1.03 0.94 0.97
Trial 9 0.57 0.79 0.84 0.94 0.94 0.85 1.16
Trial 10 0.62 0.78 0.84 0.97 1.03 0.91 0.97
Average 0.611 0.764 0.834 0.909 0.976 0.906 1.015
Standard 0.0490 0.0403 0.0556 0.0409 0.0527 0.0279 0.0815
Deviation 9 3 1 4 4 6 4

c. Analysis
1. Calculate the average time for each angle and record it in Table 3.
2. Calculate the distance traveled, d, from the initial to the final position.
3. Use the distance traveled and average time to calculate the acceleration for
each angle and record it in in Table 4.

Table 4 Analysis
Height Acceleration sin θ
10 cm 2.14293 0.250
9 cm 1.37058 0.225
8 cm 1.15016 0.200
7 cm 0.96819 0.175
6 cm 0.83983 0.150
5 cm 0.97462 0.125
4 cm 0.77653 0.100

4. Measure the hypotenuse of the triangle formed by the track and use this to
calculate sin for each angle.
Hypotenuse = 40cm 1
 5. Plot acceleration versus sin θ. Draw the best-fit straight line and calculate its
slope. Calculate the percent difference between the slope and g = 9.8 m/s2.

PLOT DATA 10 - 4 cm PLOT DATA 10 - 5 cm

2.5 2.5
2 2
1.5 f(x) = 7.43064285714285 x − 0.125671071428571 1.5 f(x) = 8.70373714285714 x − 0.390899047619047

1 1
0.5 0.5
0 0
0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14 0.16 0.18 0.2 0.22 0.24 0.26 0.1 0.12 0.14 0.16 0.18 0.2 0.22 0.24 0.26

Graph 1 slope Graph 2 = 7.4306 1

% difference = 24.178%
from the graph above, each slope is obtained, with graph 1 slope = 7.43 with
a deviation of 2.09026 this happens because the last data has a fairly large
deviation compared to other data which is 0.0815 (because in the practicum
the support stand cannot be lowered and does not check the flatness of the
table) and in graph 2 slope = 8.70 with a deviation of 1.11175, after deleting
the last data we get more accurate data and the slope obtained in addition to
the deviation will get a slope of 9.815 which is very close to the actual
gravity of 9.8.
6. Does your reaction time in operating the stopwatch cause a greater
percentage error at higher or lower track angles? Yes, because in measuring
the time the person who presses it has a reaction time that is slightly
different from the reaction time of the cart, and this can be seen from the
standard deviation of the data collection results.
7. How will doubling the mass of the cart affect the results? Try it.
theoretically doubling the mass will not affect the time the object slides

down because t=
√
2h
g
, so at the same height the time of the object will be

the same, but in reality, the time may differ slightly and this is due to the
error of the person taking the time or pressing the stopwatch.

Conservation of Momentum in Explosions

a. Equipment
No Quantity Name
1 1 Track with Feet and End Stops
2 2 PAScars
3 1 Collision Cart
4 1 Cart Masses
5 1 Mass set

b. Laboratory Setup
Experiment Procedure
1. Instal the feet on the track and level it. Install one end stop at each end with
the magnetic sides facing away from the carts.

Figure 4

2. For each of the cases in Table 5, place the two carts against each other with
the plunger of one cart latched in the third position and touching the other
cart (see Figure 3.4). Push the plunger of the other cart all the way in to its
storage position.
3. Tap the plunger release button and watch the two carts move to the ends of
the track. Experiment with different starting positions until the two carts
reach the ends of the track at the same time. Measure the masses of the carts.
Record the masses and the starting position in Table 5.

Table 5 Results
Additiona Additiona
Starting
l Mass on l Mass on m1 m2 x1 x2 x1/x2 m2/m1
position
Cart 1 Cart 2
254. 1.1290 1.000
0 0 254.9 45 | 79 35 31
9 3 0
504. 0.6097 0.504
250 g 0 254.9 35 | 69 25 41
9 5 9
754. 0.4666 0.337
500 g 0 254.9 31 | 65 21 45
9 7 7
504. 1.1290 1.000
250 g 250 g 504.9 45 | 79 35 31
9 3 0

c. Analysis
1. For each of the cases, calculate the distances traveled from the starting
position to the end of the track. Record the result in Table 5.
2. Calculate the ratio of the distances traveled and record in the table.
3. Calculate the ratio of the masses and record in the table.
4. Does the ratio of the distances equal the ratio of the masses in each of the
cases? In other words, is momentum conserved?
In this case, it can be said that the ratio between the distance is the same as the
mass ratio, which means that the law of conservation of momentum is still
maintained, but there is still a slight difference because in the practicum there
are influencing factors such as a table that is not flat enough, parallax errors,
and other factors.
5. When carts of unequal masses push away from each other, which cart has
more momentum?
Although they have different masses, the momentum of both carts will remain
the same because the law of conservation of momentum will still apply where
a large mass will have a low velocity and a small mass will have a fast
velocity.
6. When the carts of unequal masses push away from each other, which cart has
more kinetic energy?
1 2 1 2 the cart with the
m v m v
2 1 1 2 2 2 smaller mass will
1 1 have the greater
(m1 v 1 ) v 1 (m2 v 2 ) v 2
2 2 kinetic energy.
v1 v2 because the formula
for kinetic energy is
1 2
m v and ratio between velocity and mass is
2
v 1 m2
= or m1 ⃗v 1=m2 ⃗v 2, so we can cancel out each other between the 2
v 2 m1
segments the result of the kinetic energy comparison is only left v 1 and v 2
only. where a lighter mass will receive a higher velocity than a heavier mass,
so this is the reason why smaller masses have greater kinetic energy.
7. Is the starting position dependent on which cart has the plunger? Why?
The initial position does not depend on which train has the pusher because the
initial position is determined by the practical observer.
Conservation of Momentum in Collisions
a. Equipment
No Quantity Name
1 1 Track with Feet
2 2 PAScars

b. Laboratory Setup
Experiment Procedure
1. Instal the feet on the track and level it.
2. Orient the two carts on the track so their magnetic bumpers are toward each
other as shown in figure 5.
3. Test cases A1 through A3 and B1 through B3 described below. Draw two
diagrams (one for before the collision and one for after the collision) for each
case.
4. In every diagram, show a velocity vector for each cart with a length that
approximately represents the relative speed of the cart.

Figure 5

A. Carts with Equal Mass

o Case A1: Place one cart at rest in the middle of the track. Give the
other cart an initial velocity toward the cart at rest.
o Case A2: Start the carts with one at each end of the track. Give each
cart approximately the same velocity toward each other.
o Case A3: Start both carts at one end of the track. Give the first cart a
slow velocity and the second cart a faster velocity so that the second
cart catches the first cart.

B. Carts with Unequal Mass

Put two mass bars in one of the carts so that the mass of one cart is
approximately three times the mass (3M) of the other cart (1M).
o Case B1: Place the 3M cart at rest in the middle of the track. Give the
other cart an initial velocity toward the cart at rest.
o Case B2: Place the 1M cart at rest in the middle of the track. Give the
3M cart an initial velocity toward the cart at rest.
o Case B3: Start the carts with one at each end of the track. Give each
cart approximately the same velocity toward each other.
o Case B4: Start both carts at one end of the track. Give the first cart a

slow velocity and the second cart a faster velocity so that the second

 Case A2
 Case A3

 Case B1

 Case B2
  Case B3

 Case B4a

 Case B4b

c. Analysis
1. When two carts having the same mass and the same speed collide and stick
together, they stop. Is momentum conserved?
 momentum still conserved, due to the law, the conservation of momentum
which causes the momentum before and after will be the same, and after the
'
collision or can be formulated by m1 v 1+ m2 v 2=( m1+ m2 ) v .

2. When two carts having the same mass and the same speed collide and bounce
off each other elastically, what is the final total momentum of the carts?
In accordance with the law of conservation of momentum, the final total
momentum will be equal to the initial total momentum or can be formulated by
m1 ( v 1 ) +m2 ( v 2 )=m1 ( v '1) +m2 ( v '2 )

IV. CONCLUSION
1. Newton’s second law
In conclusion, Newton's second law of motion, which states that the force
acting on an object is directly proportional to its mass and the acceleration it
experiences, has been successfully proven through experimentation.
Through our own experiments, we were able to observe and verify this law by
applying different forces to objects with varying masses and measuring the resulting
times. In addition, in this experiment we realised the importance of careful
measurement and data collection, as well as the need to control external factors that
may affect the results. Because in the calculation results the second data has a
difference of 4.31% and a standard deviation of time(s) of 0.061 is a considerable
deviation but on the other hand the first data shows very good results, with a
difference of only 0.40% and a standard deviation of time(s) of 0.035 so we can
successfully prove this experiment.
In summary, this experiment has reaffirmed the validity and applicability of
Newton's second law of motion, emphasising its significance in understanding and
predicting the behaviour of objects in response to applied forces. This law continues
to serve as a fundamental pillar in the field of physics, allowing us to analyse and
understand the dynamics of motion and make practical applications in various
scientific and engineering contexts.

2. Acceleration Down an Incline

In conclusion, the Acceleration Downhill experiment provides insight into the
 relationship between the angle of the inclined plane and the acceleration of an
object rolling downhill. Through observation and data collection, we found that as
the angle of inclination increases, the acceleration of the object also increases.
This relationship is consistent with the principles of physics, specifically Newton's
laws of motion.
In the process of collecting data, we realize that accuracy and precision are
very important, because from the results of the data we get there is one data that
has a very high standard deviation, amounting to 0.0815, which is due to the
support poles that are stuck and we make it up by putting a box as a height,
causing the plot results not as expected, but after the removal of data with high
standard deviation, we will get data that is much more accurate and in accordance
with expectations.
By plotting the relationship between the acceleration of the object, and the
sine of the angle (the angle between the table surface and the object), we will get a
graph that can calculate the acceleration of gravity by looking at the slope of the
graph The experimental data shows a value close to 9.8 m/s², which is consistent
with the accepted value for gravity near the Earth's surface.
3. Conservation of Momentum in Explosions
In conclusion, the experiment Conservation of Momentum in Explosions
provides strong evidence for one of the fundamental principles of physics:
conservation of momentum. we observed that the total momentum of the system
before and after an explosion remains constant, even though the individual objects in
the system may experience a change in velocity.
Our results show that when an explosion occurs, the initial momentum of the
system, which is the sum of the momentum of all the objects involved, remains
unchanged. This finding is in line with Newton's third law of motion, which states
that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In an explosion, the
action is the release of mass in one direction, and the reaction is the release of equal
and opposite mass in the opposite direction, ensuring the overall momentum is
maintained.
In addition, this experiment also shows that the inverse ratio between the mass
and distance of object 1 and object 2 will always be the same (proving the law of
conservation of momentum). as well as when two objects push each other (with the
same or different masses) will get the same momentum. but it is different from kinetic
 energy, where objects that have lighter masses will have greater kinetic energy and
vice versa.
In summary, the Conservation of Momentum in Explosions experiment
reaffirms the fundamental principle that momentum is conserved in isolated systems,
providing a foundation for understanding and predicting the behavior of objects in
motion. The results of this experiment contribute to our broader understanding of
physics and its real-world applications, underscoring the importance of momentum
conservation in a variety of scientific and engineering contexts.

4. Conservation of Momentum in Collisions

In conclusion, the Conservation of Momentum in Collisions experiment
provides strong evidence for one of the fundamental principles of classical
physics: conservation of momentum. Throughout our investigation, we
observed that the total momentum of a closed system remains constant before
and after the collision, regardless of whether the collision is elastic or inelastic,
which means that In both elastic and inelastic collisions, the total momentum
of the system before the collision is equal to the total momentum of the system
after the collision. This observation conforms to the law of conservation of
momentum, which is a basic principle of classical mechanics.
From the experimental results we can observe that the initial momentum
of the system, which is the sum of the momentum of each object involved in
the collision, is equal to the final momentum of the system. and this is in line
with the principle of conservation of momentum, which states that in the
absence of an external force, the total momentum of a system does not change.
In practice, this experiment serves as a valuable visualization of how the
concept of momentum conservation can be applied to real-world situations. It
has many practical applications, from designing safer car crashes to
understanding the behavior of subatomic particles in particle accelerators. By
recognizing and applying the principles of conservation of momentum, we can
better analyze and predict the outcomes of various physical interactions and
contribute to the advancement of science and technology.
REFERENSES
[1] PASCO Scientific. [Online]. Instruction Manual and Experiment Guide for the PASCO
scientific model SF-8607 dan SF-8608. Available:
https://www.pasco.com/file_downloads/product_manuals/Basic-Current-Balance-
Manual-SF-8607.pdf December 07,2015 [February 11, 2015]
[2] Meade, 2007. “Foundations Of Electronics 4”. Thomson. US.
[3] Floyd, 2005. “Electric Circuit Fundamental 7”. Prentice Hall. US
[4] Floyd, 2000. “Principle of Electrical Circuit 5”. Prentice Hall. US
[5] Tony R K. 2006. “Lessons In Electric Circuit Volume I DC and Volume II AC” 5. Design
Science License. US
[6] http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/electricity_ohms_law.htm
[7] http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_1/chpt_5/1.html
[8] http://thomasyg.staff.gunadarma.ac.id/Downloads/files/8195/Regresi+dan+Korelasi.pdf
V. APPENDICES