Phy Lab Rep 2.1 Linear Airtrack

PHYSICS LABORATORY REPORT

EXPERIMENT 2.1 : MOTION DUE TO STEADY FORCE USING LINEAR

AIR TRACK

NAME : NURAINA SAKINA BINTI ZAKRI

NRIC : 951010-11-5076

GROUP : 11SC2

STUDENT ID : 1311171218

DATE :

LECTURER : MR MOHD AZUAN BIN MOHD AZLAN

1

INTRODUCTION

In this experiment we verified Newton’s Second Law by measuring the acceleration of

a system subject to a net external force. Newton’s second law states that the acceleration a of

an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on the object and inversely

proportional to the object’s mass m.

Newton’s second law can be expressed as an equation using F = ma. The unbalanced

force was supplied by a mass falling in the earth’s gravitational field. Mass M rested on a

smooth horizontal air track and was attached to mass m by a light tape passing over a pulley.

When the system was released M was pulled along the track by the force supplied by the

suspended mass m. The air track and pulley had small openings through which jets of air

were ejected to create a nearly frictionless surface. The two masses were connected by a very

light recording tape on which marks are made every 1/60 second by a spark timer.

We ignored the friction in the pulley as well as the friction between the mass and the air

track. Also, the mass of the string was assumed to be negligible. With these assumptions

Newton’s second law was able to be proved by calculations.

OBJECTIVE

To measure velocity and acceleration of a glider using a light gate and LAT

APPARATUS/EQUIPMENT

Air track, air supply, two cards, two light gates, thread, pulley and slotted mass

2

PROCEDURE

1. The distance between light gate A and B is measured

2. A 100g mass is attached to the mass holder

3. The air track is switched on and the card on the glider is checked whether it passes

through the gates without touching them

4. The length of the cars is measured and the times shown for gate A and B is recorded

5. The positions of the light gates are changed (eg 30cm and 80 cm) and the

corresponding times are measured

6. The readings are recorded in the table of results.

ASSUMPTIONS

1. It is assumed that the air track is totally frictionless.

2. It is assumed that the glider accelerates due to gravity only

3. Mass of string is neglible

3

RESULTS

Length of card = 14.4 cm

Position of

light gate A

(cm)

Time t1

(s)

Velocity at

A

(ms-1)

Position at

light gate B

(cm)

Time t2

(s)

Velocity at

B

(ms-1)

Acceleration

(ms-2)

a = v2 - u2

2s

30 0.1525 0.9443 80 0.0848 1.6981 0.0199

40 0.1323 1.0884 90 0.0909 1.5841 0.0132

50 0.1205 1.1950 100 0.1005 1.4328 0.0063

60 0.1004 1.4343 110 0.0967 1.4891 0.0016

DISCUSSION

1. If the glider is attached to a ticker tape timer, how the dots on the timer will look on

the tape for the above motion? Draw the dots

- The separation between the dots increases

- The velocity increases

- The object is accelerating

CONCLUSION

Objective achieved. For a constant mass, the acceleration is proportional to the applied force

4