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Ib Lab - Acceleration of Cart Down A Ramp

This document describes a physics lab experiment to measure the acceleration of a cart down an inclined ramp using Newton's Second Law. Students will use a hanging mass attached to the cart by a string and pulley to provide a pulling force on the cart. A smart pulley sensor connected to a computer will measure the cart's acceleration. Students will collect timing and velocity data for the cart, graph the results to determine acceleration, and write a conclusion evaluating their findings. The aim is to calculate the cart's mass using measured forces and accelerations rather than directly weighing it on a balance.

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3K views1 page

Ib Lab - Acceleration of Cart Down A Ramp

This document describes a physics lab experiment to measure the acceleration of a cart down an inclined ramp using Newton's Second Law. Students will use a hanging mass attached to the cart by a string and pulley to provide a pulling force on the cart. A smart pulley sensor connected to a computer will measure the cart's acceleration. Students will collect timing and velocity data for the cart, graph the results to determine acceleration, and write a conclusion evaluating their findings. The aim is to calculate the cart's mass using measured forces and accelerations rather than directly weighing it on a balance.

Uploaded by

ringo_tiger
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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International Baccalaureate Physics 4/PSOW

Acceleration of a Cart Down a Ramp


Aim: IB Criteria Assessed
Anyone can find the mass of an object by placing it on a balance. Data Collection and Processing
You will do that in this lab to find the mass of your rolling cart. Conclusion and Evaluation
However, in theory, we should be able to find this same mass Criteria Aspect Level
using Newton’s 2nd Law. You will measure different forces assessed 1 2 3 awarded
pulling on the cart and different accelerations of the cart as well. D
DCP
The rolling cart will be pulled by a hanging mass. A string tied
from the hanging mass to the cart will travel over a “Pasco smart CE
pulley.” The pulley (sensor) will be connected to a computer
capable of measuring the acceleration of the cart.

You will record your own data and process it so as to find acceleration through the use of a graph. You
will also write a conclusion and evaluation of your results.

Apparatus:
Motion cart
Cart track / ramp
Angle measuring device
String
Pasco Smart Pulley
Laptop Computer

Smart
pulley

Method:
1. Record mass of cart, hanging mass, and angle of ramp.
2. Connect Pasco Smart Pulley sensor to computer and set up as shown in diagram.
3. Release cart. In an appropriate table, record the timing increments and the corresponding
velocities of the cart speeding down the ramp.
4. Do multiple trials.
5. Process the data and find the acceleration of the cart from a graph.

Theory:
For a constantly acceleration object, acceleration can be found from velocity and time data.

The above information was given to the student by the instructor.


What follows immediately below is the student’s own work.

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