Ramp Lab

Ramp Lab

Jack Aerni

Purpose: We will determine 3 equations and 3 graphs for the distance vs time, velocity vs time, and acceleration vs time by creating a mathematical model for a ball rolling down a ramp using a ball, a ramp, and two photo gates

Control Variables: Ball size, ball weight, ramp height (tenth hole) and length, position of photo gate 1 which is 5cm away from starting point.

Hypothesis: The ball’s acceleration will remain constant unless an unbalanced force acts upon it.

Procedure:

1. Set up ramp (at hole 10)

2. Set photo gate 1 at 5 cm

3. Set photo gate 2 at 10 cm

4. Roll ball down the ramp, record time, collect how long it takes for the ball to pass through photo gate 1, how long it takes for the ball to pass through photo gate 2, and how long it takes the ball to pass in between the two gates

5. Move photo gate 2 down 5 cm (to the 15 cm mark)

6. Repeat steps 4-5, moving photo gate 2 down 5cm each time

7. Collect data until second photo gate reaches 50 cm

8. Repeat the process 3 times, in order to have 3 trials

9. Calculate averages for T(A), T(B), and T(AB)

10. Construct T charts for distance and velocity using T(AB), and T(B)

11. Put data into Logger Pro to create graphs

Data:

D is the diameter of the ball

D = 1.904 cm

Analysis

We constructed an averaged out position vs time graph as well as a velocity vs time graph for our lab

In our position vs time graph we used our data and we inputted it into the logger pro program which gave us a better understanding of how the measurements would look like on a graph. After we inputted all the data we had we used the tools that were available to us from the logger pro such as the m=log ( ) to give us our best fit line equation, which ended up giving us the average velocity compared to the position vs time graph. Our best fit line ended up being quadratic, as it was the lowest “degree” equation that had a very high accuracy percentage. The line of best...