Experiment # 1

Kinematics
Objectives:

This laboratory exercise allows students:

1. To study the relationships between position, velocity, and acceleration in linear

motion.
2. To use a Motion Sensor to measure the motion of a fan cart as it moves away
from the sensor.
3. To use Data Studio to record and display the motion.

Equipment list

1 Computer

2 PASCO Interface

3 1.2 m Dynamics Track

 4 Motion Sensor

5 Dynamics Cart

6 Fan Accessory

Theory background

Kinematics is the science of describing the motion of objects using words, diagrams,
numbers, graphs, and equations without consideration of the causes of motion.
Kinematics is a branch of mechanics.

Equations for motion, given a constant acceleration (a), are:

Position: x = x0 +v0 t +½ at2

Where x0 and v0 are the initial position and initial velocity. Note that if x0 and v0 are zero,
the equation is a parabola.
Velocity: v = v0 +at

Note that the 1st derivative of position is the slope of the position vs. time graph. This
equation is linear. The slope of the velocity vs. time graph is the constant acceleration.
The acceleration can also be written:

Acceleration: a = d2x/dt2

Velocity vs. Time

Position vs. Time

 Experiment # 2
Inclined plane

Objectives

The main goal of this experiment is to use the inclined

plain set up to find the value of acceleration of gravity.

Equipment list

 Pasco interface (motion sensor)

 Angle indicator

 Track

 Cart

 Motion sensor

Theory background

The inclined plane gives rise to a common elementary

physics exercise. Consider an object placed on an inclined
plane, and describe mathematically the forces acting upon
that object. There are three forces acting on the body
(neglecting air resistance):

1. The normal force ('N') exerted by the plane onto the

body,
2. the force due to gravity ('mg' - acting vertically
downwards) and
3. the frictional force ('f') acting parallel to the plane.

The gravitational force may be visualized as two components: A force parallel to the
plane ('mg sin θ') and a force acting into the plane ('mg cos θ') which is equal and
opposite to 'N'. If the force acting parallel to the plane ('mg sin θ') is greater than the
frictional force 'f' - then the body will slide down the inclined plane - otherwise it will
remain stationary.(the inclined plane in our experiment frictionless).
 So if one apply Newton second law for the system shown the net force on the system
would be
m a=mg sin Ө

and in the absence of friction and other forces, the acceleration of an object on an incline
is the value of the parallel component (m g sine of angle) divided by the mass (m). This
yields the equation of the cart acceleration:

a=g.sinq

Procedure:

 set up the system as shown.

 Using the angle indicator change the
value of q.
 Using motion sensor and Pasco
interface measure the acceleration.
 Record your data in data table.
 Inclined plane
Name: _________________. Student#:_________________.

Group #: (___). Date: ________________.

Data table:

av
q )velocity vs. time( sin q
graph
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2

Data analysis

 Draw using Excel ( a average versus sin q).

 find the slope of your graph.

Slope=_____________________________________________________________

 What are the units of the slope and what does it represent.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

Questions:

1) What effect does height of the plane have on the acceleration of gravity?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3) An object of mass m=0.5 Kg is moved from the top of an inclined plane as shown, if
its acceleration is 8.5m/s2 then the angle of the inclined plane in degrees.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4) A student did (inclined plane) experiment and got the graph shown, then the inverse of
the slope equals.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5) If an object of mass (M) moved from a top of a frictionless inclined plane with angle q
and an object of mass (m) moved on the same plane.

What is the relation between the acceleration of the two objects? Prove your answer?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------

6) Write your comments and comment on your results(find the percentage of error)?