Lab Discussion 1

Tallen Monnett 1D Motion – Lab Discussion The objective of this lab was to study the motion of objects along a straight line, to measure the value of gravitational acceleration, and to develop a conceptual understanding of the relationship, between position, velocity, and acceleration. The equipment we used was a dynamics track, a plastic cart and fan cart, a motion sensor, a photogate and photogate stand, a ring stand and elevation bracket, a bubble level, a ruler, masking tape, a rubber mat, a large picket fence. To study the motion of objects along a straight line, a cart was pushed gently so it was at a constant velocity from experiment #1. With the cart being pushed, values were obtained such as the slope, uncertainty, and the y-intercept from the position vs. time graph. The mean value of velocity was also obtained from the velocity vs. time graph from the cart being pushed. From experiment #3, we were able to measure the value of gravitational acceleration by pushing the cart on an incline. The cart was pushed and the values that were recorded for the position vs time graph are now being recorded from the velocity vs. time graph. For the position vs. time graph, we recorded the values of A, B, and C with their corresponding uncertainties. Gravitational acceleration was also present in experiment #4. In this experiment, free fall motion was present due to a large picket fence being dropped. With all of these experiments, we were able to understand the relationship between position, velocity, and acceleration. The theory of the physics concept being investigated in the lab is that there is a relationship between position, velocity, and acceleration. This relationship is based on the slope of the line to move from position to velocity or from velocity to acceleration. Experiment #1 was a cart being pushed with a constant velocity. Therefore, there was no acceleration that could have been found from experiment #1, and the position from being pushed created a constant velocity. In experiment #2 however, the fan was turned on which caused a constant acceleration that created a velocity. These relationships can be demonstrated in other scenarios like the cart being placed on an incline in experiment #3. The cart here had a constant acceleration due to the strength of the gravitational field. Due to the acceleration, the velocity increased as time progressed. For experiment #4, free fall motion caused an acceleration of 9.81 m/s 2 as the picket fence was dropped. All of these experiments helped demonstrate and study the physics concept between position, velocity, and acceleration. Final Results Experiment #1: Towards motion sensor: x(t) = -0.0212 + 0.726t Away from motion sensor: x(t) = 0.149 + 0.213t Experiment #2: Fan Cart for position: x(t) = -0.193 - 0.12t + 0.876t 2 Fan Cart for velocity: v(t) = 0.448 + 0.126t Experiment #3: PASCO Cart for position: x(t) = 0.221 + 0.17t + 0.202t 2 PASCO Cart for velocity: v(t) = 0.448 + 0.126t Angle: arcsin( 𝛳 )=(10/120)=4.78 o Experiment #4: v(t) = 9.73t - 6.18 y(t) = -6.18t + 1.93 +½(9.73t 2 ) Uncertainty for g exp : 0.03/√5 = 0.013 Percent discrepancy: G exp - g o = (9.73 - 9.81)/9.81 x 100% = 0.82% The final results are supporting my theory and they are accurate and precise. Each experiment shows an equation for position and an equation for velocity. The experiments for #2 and #3 each have a