Lab 1
Lab 1
Kinematics
Objectives:
Equipment list
1 Computer
2 PASCO Interface
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.
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
Objectives
Equipment list
Angle indicator
Track
Cart
Motion sensor
Theory background
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:
Data table:
av
q )velocity vs. time( sin q
graph
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
Data analysis
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)?