Lab Report                                                    Name: ____________________

 

                                                                                    Section: ___________________

 

 

EXPERIMENT:   Acceleration

 

 

    DATA TABLE 1:             Height of ramp: _________m;    Angle of incline = ____ ^o

 

 

Calculations: Notice that your data consists of times (t) and distances (x). In order to calculate acceleration you must use the four equations of motion. First work with Equation 2:

                        Equation 2:      x = (v/2)t        

 

                                    Rewriting to isolate v, the equation becomes:

           

                        Equation 2:      v= (2x)/t

 

You already know the distance, x and the time, t. Now you can solve for velocity, v, by using Equation 2 in this form. Fill in v for each trial on your data sheet. Use Equation 1 to find acceleration, but first it must be rewritten to isolate the variable (a).

 

Equation 1:      v=at        divide both sides of the equation by (t):                  a= v/t

 

 

With Equation 1 rewritten in this way it is easy to solve for acceleration, a using time, t from your data sheet and velocity, v that you already calculated. Fill in the value for acceleration in each trial on your calculation table.

 

 

Questions: 

 

A.    Newton’s first law says a body at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by an outside force, and a body in motion will continue in motion at the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an outside force. What forces were acting on the marble as it traveled down the ramp?

 

B.     Did the velocity of the marble increase as it traveled down the ramp?

 

C.     Did the acceleration of the marble increase as it traveled down the ramp?

 

D.    What would happen to the velocity and acceleration of the marble if the ramp were steeper? How about if the ramp were vertical? If you have trouble answering this, repeat the experiment with a steeper ramp.

 

E.     As you are riding in a car your body is at rest relative to the car but in motion relative to the street. What might happen to the passengers in a car during a sudden stop or crash if there are loose objects stacked in the rear window of the car?