Physics Lab Report 2

Solomon Maerowitz-McMahan

10/16/15

Abstract:

The purpose of the lab is to analyze the relationship between mass and acceleration and their effects on force. The main focus of this lab is Newton’s Second Law of Motion which is represented in the equation F=ma. We calculated the theoretical acceleration by applying Newton’s 2nd Law (F net = MA), neglecting friction, to the glider and hanging mass. We used 3 different masses of 5,20, and 40 grams attached to the glider and recorded the acceleration of each. The percent error will be calculated and compared to the expected value of 9.8 m/s^2.

1. In both the first and second lab we observed the motion of falling objects, though we observed different objects falling, both objects accelerated at roughly the same rate. Both objects were essentially in free fall because the only forces acting on them were gravity. The weights that we attached to the cart in second experiment could be classified as not being in free fall because of the tension force between the weight and the cart. The cart has almost no friction and the acceleration of the weight attached to is virtually identical to free fall, but it is technically not in free fall because there is another force acting on the weight besides just gravity.

2. The ring in the middle of the force board is not accelerating because the net force of the ring is zero. Each of the 3 springs are acting on the ring, but the x and y components of each of the springs cancel each other out so there is no force in any direction. Gravity is acting on the ring, but the normal force of the table is also acting on the ring canceling out any force that gravity creates (Newton’s second law). If we dropped the force board the table would no longer be exerting normal force on the force board therefore there would be a net force downwards, assuming we dropped the force board straight down. The horizontal force component would stay the same while the vertical force component...