SPH3U Learning Activity 2.

6
Lab: Net Force, Mass and Acceleration

Lab: Net Force, Mass and Acceleration

Open the interactive. Use the interactive to investigate how force, mass, and acceleration are related by

completing the following lab activity.

Purpose
The purpose of this experiment is to

a) determine the relationship between acceleration and net force

b) determine the relationship between acceleration and mass.

Experimental Setup
The simulated apparatus consists of a wagon on a frictionless surface, attached to a hanging mass by a
string that rests on a frictionless pulley. The mass of the wagon and hanging block can be adjusted using the
sliders.

Experiments
With the mass of the wagon set at 100 g (0.10 kg) and the hanging mass of 1 g (0.001 kg), press the “Start”
button. Observe the movement of the wagon and the hanging mass. You can always replay the trial by
pressing the “Reset” button and then hit the “Start” button again. Note: the distance the wagon moves is 1
metre.
a) What happened once the “Start” button was pressed?
b) Compare the movement of the wagon to the movement of the hanging mass.
c) Since the wagon and the hanging mass are attached together, they experience the same movement.
They travel the same distance in the same amount of time. Both objects seem to be speeding up. If you
can find the object of one object, then you will know the acceleration of the other. You already know
the displacement travelled by the wagon and the time this took (see the screen), so you can use the
1
equation 𝛥𝑑 = 𝑣1 𝛥𝑡 + 2 𝑎(𝛥𝑡)2 to find the acceleration. Both the wagon and the hanging mass have
zero initial velocity, since the system was initially at rest. Rearrange the equation to solve for
2𝛥𝑑
acceleration, remembering to use 𝑣1 = 0. The equation then becomes 𝑎 = (𝛥𝑡)2 to calculate
acceleration, as required during the experiment. You do not need to include the direction, as you are
interested in the magnitude of the acceleration. Remember that ∆𝑑 = 1 𝑚.

Part 1: The Relationship Between Acceleration and Net Force

You will change the mass of the hanging mass, but leave the mass of the wagon constant. Before doing the
activity, first predict what will happen to the motion of the system as the mass of the hanging mass increases.

Step 1: Using a 100 g (0.10 kg) wagon and a 1 g (0.001 kg) hanging mass, run the experiment and record the
data in a data table like the one that is shown below.

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 SPH3U Learning Activity 2.6
Lab: Net Force, Mass and Acceleration

Step 2: Repeat step 1 three (3) more times, but change the value of the hanging mass (suggested values are 2.0
g, 4.0 g, and 6.0 g). Be sure to record the mass values in kilograms on the table. Your data table should be
complete, except for the column labelled “Fhanging mass”

Step 3: We are studying the relationship between force and acceleration in this part of the experiment and so
must calculate the magnitude of the force that is causing the motion. In this case, the weight of the hanging
mass causes the system to accelerate. Recall that the force due to gravity (weight) of an object, 𝐹𝑔 is calculated
by multiplying the mass by g (acceleration due to gravity), which is 9.8 N/kg near the surface of the earth.
Thus, 𝐹ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 = 𝑚ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 × 𝑔. Note: the net force on the system is equal to the 𝐹ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 .

Observations

Fhanging mass 𝛥𝑑
mwagon mhanging mass a
Trial (or net force) (m) (s)
(kg) (kg) (m/s2 )
(N)

Analysis
a) Print out a sheet of graph paper and graph acceleration versus net force. Acceleration should be
on the vertical axis.
b) Describe the relationship between acceleration and the net force
c) Draw a straight line through your points (through the origin). What would be the units of the
slope of the line?
d) Determine the slope of the line. What do you think the slope represents?

Part 2: The Relationship Between Acceleration and Mass

You will change the mass of the wagon, but keep the mass of the hanging mass constant.
Step 1: With the hanging mass set at 1 g and the wagon set at 100 g, run the experiment and record the data
table like the one that follows.
Step 2: Repeat step 1 three (3) more times, but change the mass of the wagon. Suggested values at 120 g, 140
g and 160 g.
Step 3: Create a data table as shown below with a column labelled “1/mass” or “1/m”.

Copyright © 2021 The Ontario Educational Communications Authority. All rights reserved. 2
 SPH3U Learning Activity 2.6
Lab: Net Force, Mass and Acceleration

Observations

mwagon 1/mwagon mhanging mass 𝛥𝑑 𝛥𝑡 a

Trial (m) (s)
(kg) (1 kg) (kg) (m/s2 )
𝛥𝑡

Analysis

a) Print out a sheet of graph paper and graph acceleration versus mass of the wagon.
Acceleration should be on the vertical axis.
b) Describe the relationship between acceleration and the mass of the wagon.
c) Print out a sheet of graph paper and graph acceleration versus 1/m wagon .
Acceleration should be on the vertical axis.
d) Describe the relationship between acceleration and 1/m wagon.
e) Which graph shows a trend that could be modelled with a line?
f ) Draw a line through the points on the graph from the above question. What are the units of the slope
of the line?
g) Determine the slope of the line. What do you think the slope represents?

Conclusion
Refer to the purpose and state the results of this experiment.

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