Lab: Newton’s Second Law of Motion

Introduction and Theory:

The Newton’s Second Law of motion can be summarized by the following equation:
Fnet = ΣF = ma (1)
where ΣF represents a net external force (vector sum) acting on an object, m is the mass of the
object moving under the influence of Fnet, and a is the acceleration of that object. The bold
letters in the equation represent vector quantities.

x
Motion a
sensor
T
M
Fk

m a

mg

Fig. 1. The experimental setup for Newton’s Second Law lab.

In this lab we will try to validate this law by applying eqn. (1) to the motion of a cart moving
along a horizontal track when a constant force T (tension in the string) acts upon it. The analysis
of a free-body diagram of the experimental setup lets us calculate the acceleration of gravity
which can be compared with the expected value of 9.81 m/s2.
Since the cart is not frictionless, in our analysis we will include the force of kinetic friction Fk
experienced by the moving cart.
Given that it is quite difficult to assess quantitatively the magnitude of the kinetic friction
involved in our experiment, we will solve the problem by putting the object (mass M) in two
different situations (moving away or toward the motion sensor) in which the friction acts in
opposite directions respectively while the tension in the string maintains the same direction.

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When the cart is moving away from the motion detector (positive x direction in Fig. 1) for each
of the moving bodies, m and M, Newton’s Second Law will be satisfied according to the
following equations:
T1 – Fk = M a1 (2)
and
m g - T1 = m a1 (3)
In the lab set up when the cart M is forced (by providing negative initial velocity to the cart) to
move towards the motion detector (negative x direction in Fig. 1), the corresponding Newton’s
Second Law equations will change as follows:
T2 + Fk = M a2 (4)
and
m g - T2 = m a2 (5)
Note that eqns. (4) and (5) are written for the situation when the initial force that puts the system
in motion is no longer being applied and the cart moves toward the motion detector.
Calculating the mean acceleration from these two runs will allow us to eliminate the effect of the
kinetic friction on the final result.

Objectives:
To validate Newton’s Second Law of motion by measuring the acceleration of gravity and learn
to apply Newton’s Second Law to systems of masses.

Equipment: (Virtual)
Virtual low friction cart and horizontal dynamic track with pulleys, strings, hanger, masses and
ultrasonic motion detector from the Dynamics Lab on the website
https://virtuallabs.ket.org/physics/ ; Logger Pro software.

Procedure:
Before starting the experiment please get practice with the virtual equipment!
Open KET simulation "Dynamics". Run the "Dynamics" lab. Familiarize yourself with the
setup – without clicking, move the pointer over each item and read the information in the
message box at the bottom in the screen. Now practice how to move masses, attach string,
hanger, turn on/off the motion sensor and brake pad.
After practice you can start the experiment and collect data.

Part 1. One way motion without friction.

Add some extra mass (100 - 400 gram) to the cart. Attach string to the cart and the hanger to the
loop at the other end of string passing the string over the pulley. Note the values of the masses
taking into account that the empty cart’s mass is 250 gram and the empty hanger’s mass is 50
gram.

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Make sure the track is leveled (press “Set Θ = 0°”) and the “Recoil” feature is set to 0. Adjust
recording time Tmax = 10 sec. Turn on the brake by clicking the red sign to hold cart in place and
move the cart by dragging to the left end of the track (next to the motion sensor), turn on the
motion sensor and click the green sign to release the brakes. Turn off the sensor as the cart
reaches the right end of the track. Copy the data to clipboard and paste it to Logger Pro (LP).

Label the columns properly with correct units. Now using the LP features create a new graph –
velocity versus time – by using the “delta” function (Velocity = delta“Position”/delta“Time”) in
NEW CALCULATED COLUMN. On the velocity vs. time graph in LP highlight (drag around
with the computer cursor) part of the plot corresponding to the cart moving along the track and
apply linear fit of the graph to find the acceleration. Calculate the percent difference to compare
the slope value to your calculated acceleration value. To get the uncertainty and the number of
Decimal Places (or Significant Figures) for the acceleration, double click in the Linear Fit box
and in a newly opened Linear Fit Options window select “Show Uncertainty” and the number
for “Displayed Precision”. Record the value of acceleration with three decimal places. Calculate
the gravitational acceleration using the formula
g (6)
where - a is the measured acceleration, M and m are the total masses of the cart and the hanger,
respectively.
Change the mass M on the cart, repeat the experiment and copy-paste your data in LP by using
Data > New Data Set from the toolbar menu.
Save the LP file for future reference. Organize your LP graph windows so they fit on one page,
capture the screen and paste it into a Word file (recommended landscape page layout) – you will
have to attach it to your lab report.
Calculate the average value for the gravitational acceleration and compare with the expected the
value 9.81 m/s2. Calculate the discrepancy between these two.

Part 2. One way motion with friction.

Now we will consider a real case which includes the analysis of kinetic friction Fk force
experienced by the moving cart.
You need to make two runs for the same masses of cart as in part 1 adding friction forces
between the moving cart and the track by using the future “friction pad” of the virtual dynamic
cart.
Make sure the track is leveled (press “Set Θ = 0°”) and the “Recoil” feature is set to 0. Select
Tmax = 10 sec. Turn on the brake by clicking the red sign to hold the cart in place and move the
cart by dragging to the left end of the track (next to the motion sensor), turn on the friction pad
and adjust the coefficients of frictions: kinetic µk = 0.07, static µs = 0.14, and the “µks? #” feature
set to 0. Turn on the motion sensor and click the green sign to release the brakes. Turn off the
sensor as the cart reaches the right end of the track.
Copy the data to clipboard and paste it to a new Graphical Analysis file. Label the columns
properly with correct units. Now using the LP features create a new graph – velocity versus time
– by using the “delta” function (Velocity = delta“Position”/delta“Time”) in NEW
CALCULATED COLUMN and then use a linear fit of the graph to find the acceleration. Record
the value of acceleration with three decimal places.

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Repeat the experiment for the second mass of the cart.
Save the LP file for future reference. Organize your LP graph windows so they fit on one page,
capture the screen and paste it into a Word file – you will have to attach it to your lab report.
Calculate the average for the acceleration. Theoretically calculate the acceleration assuming that
the kinetic friction force Fk = µk Mg and the coefficients of kinetic frictions µk = 0.07. Compare
your calculated average value of acceleration with theoretically expected value. Calculate
discrepancy between these two.

Part 3. Two-way motion with friction.

In this part you will deal with the < cart – track > system with unknown value of frictional
forces. As it was described in the introduction to eliminate the unknown frictional forces you will
use technique of putting the cart in two-way motion – toward and away from the motion sensor.
Make sure the track is leveled (press “Set Θ = 0°”) and the “Recoil” feature is set to 0.
Select Tmax = 10 s. Click “wheels” and select: initial velocity v0 as a negative number (for
example v0 = - 200 cm/sec), which means that the initial velocity is directed toward the motion
sensor and is opposite the positive “X” axis; V0? # set to 0.
Now click “friction pad” and select: µk = 0.07; µs = 0.14; “µks? #” set to 1.
Be sure that top button displays “Go at known V0”.

Fig. 2. A sample of fitting the graph in LP.

Make three runs with different masses on the hanger (in the range 50 - 120 g) by keeping the
total mass of cart unchanged (in the range of 250 - 700 g).
Turn on the brake by clicking the red sign to hold the cart in place and after adding the masses

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release the brakes (cart should to move to the right end of the track).
Turn on the motion sensor and click the knob “Go at known V0”. To get good data you need to
adjust V0 (for chosen masses of cart and hanger) in such a way that the cart will pass the
midpoint but will not reach the left end of the track as you click “Go at known V0” button.
Turn off the sensor as the cart reaches the right end of the track.
Copy the data to clipboard and paste it to Graphical Analysis. Label the columns properly with
correct units. Now using the features of LP create a new graph – velocity versus time – by using
“delta” function (Velocity = delta“Position”/delta“Time”) in NEW CALCULATED COLUMN
and then use a linear fit of the graph to find the accelerations for both parts of motion. Record the
values of accelerations with three decimal places.
Save the LP file for future reference. Organize your LP graph windows so they fit on one page,
capture the screen and paste it into a Word file – you will have to attach it to your lab report.
The data with negative velocities represents the motion towards the sensor (kinetic friction acts
in the same direction as the tension, hence the absolute value of acceleration a2= slope2 is
larger). The data with positive velocities corresponds to the cart moving away from the detector
(kinetic friction acts in the direction opposite the tension in the string generated by the hanging
mass, hence the absolute value of acceleration a1= slope1 is smaller).
Calculate the average acceleration
aave = (a1 + a2)/2= (slope1 + slope2)/2 (7)
and using equations (2) - (5)
g (8)
Calculate the mean value and the error for g using the mean value and error for aave.
Discussion questions:
State the objective of the lab. Explain theoretical concept being studies. State the experimentral results, mean
value of g calculated by Logger Pro along with its uncertainty for Part 1 and Part 2. How does this
experimental result compare to the expected value of 9.81 m/s2? Based on your experimental data does
Newton’s Second Law of Motion hold? Has the objective been achieved?
Questions

1. What will happen to an object when you apply only one force to it?
2. What will happen to an object when you apply five forces to it?
3. How will the acceleration of an object change as the net force acting on it stays constant but its mass
changes?

a) the mass increase b) the mass decrease

4. What is the meaning of the slope of graph velocity versus time?
5. How will the motion of an object change if it has a constant mass but the magnitude of the
net force on it changes?
a) the force increase b) the force decrease

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 6. How will the motion of an object change as its mass and the magnitude of the net force on
it is doubled?
7. How will the motion of an object change as its mass is doubled and the magnitude of the
net force on it is halved?
8. In Part 3 of the experiment when is the acceleration greater – moving toward or away from
the motion sensor? Why?
9. In your experiment, when is the acceleration greater - in Part 1 or in Part 2? Why?
10. Why aren’t we considering the normal force acting on the cart?
11. Calculate the tension force T for all three parts of the experiment.

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