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  • Essay / Newton's Second Law of Motion: Experiment Report

    Table of ContentsSummaryIntroductionMethodologyPart 1: Horizontal PlanePart 2: Inclined PlaneResults and AnalysisConclusionsSummaryThis laboratory report explores the fundamentals of Newton's second law of motion, exploring the interaction between mass, acceleration and force. . The main objective of this experiment is to determine how Newton's second law, expressed by the equation F=ma, explains the relationships between mass and acceleration (Part 1) as well as between force and acceleration (Part 2). Through a series of tests, we aim to demonstrate that mass and acceleration are inversely proportional, while force and acceleration are directly proportional. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayIntroductionNewton's second law of motion, a cornerstone of classical mechanics, posits that the force acting on an object is directly proportional to the acceleration experienced by this object. object and inversely proportional to its mass. This relationship is elegantly expressed by the equation F=ma, where F represents force, m represents mass, and a represents acceleration. In this experiment, we seek to validate Newton's second law by carrying out two distinct parts. In part one we study the acceleration and force applied to an object moving on a horizontal plane, while in part two we explore the force and acceleration of a glider connected to a weight via a rope on an inclined plane. Our goal is to observe how Newton's second law of motion explains the variation in the acceleration of objects in these different scenarios. Methodology The central research question of this experiment concerns the validity of the data obtained in Part 1 and Part 2 in explaining Newton's second law. Movement. To answer this question, we carried out a series of carefully designed procedures and measurements. Part 1: Horizontal plane To study the acceleration of a glider on a horizontal plane, we used a pulley system. A glider connected by a rope was used, and the force of gravity acted on a weight suspended from the pulley, causing the glider to move along the pulley track without friction. Our initial setup involved a glider with a mass of around 100 grams and a suspended mass ranging from 30 to 40 grams. Several tests were conducted, systematically reducing the sprung mass to observe changes in acceleration. To measure acceleration accurately, we used a motion detector in conjunction with Logger Pro, a computer program capable of recording and analyzing motion data. Additionally, throughout each trial we adjusted the weight on the handlebar to maintain balance. Part 2: Inclined Plane In Part 2, we repeated the same experimental setup as in Part 1, with one crucial modification: the glider and weight were placed on an inclined plane. surface. To establish a consistent lean angle, we made sure the board remained at a fixed angle throughout Part 2. We used Logger Pro to measure acceleration from two different angles. To vary the angles, we had the option of adjusting the weight on the handlebar or adding additional pounds to the base of the board to create a steeper incline. The equipment used for this experiment included a computer, Vernier computer interface, Logger Pro software, Vernier motion detector, Pasco air track with accessories, ruler, smart pulley, and wire. These instruments facilitated the collection of data forparts 1 and 2, allowing us to construct graphs illustrating the relationship between force and acceleration in subsequent graphical analysis. Results and Analysis After performing the procedures described in Part 1 of our experiment, our group successfully collected data. concerning the acceleration of the laboratory glider on a horizontal surface. We used a simple formula that involved adding the mass of the glider to the mass of the weight to determine the force acting on the system. In addition to measuring the masses of the objects, we calculated the applied force and recorded the theoretical and measured differences for each trial. Our exploration in this part of the experiment allowed us to understand the components of force and their relationship to Newton's second law by examining the acceleration of the glider due to the applied force. However, it is essential to recognize potential sources of error, such as possible calibration issues with the Logger Pro software, which could lead to invalid results and hinder our ability to explain the theory of the second law of motion. of Newton. In the graphical analysis shown below for Part 1, we observe a linear relationship between force and acceleration. This linear correlation conforms to Newton's second law, which is expressed mathematically as a=F/m. Since the mass is divided by the applied force, the acceleration should increase after each trial, as reflected in our graph. In Part 2, we applied the same principles as in Part 1 to analyze the data. The key distinction is that Part 2 involved an inclined plane. From our interpretation of the graph, looking specifically at the slope and the intercept, we derived the equation Mwg=(Mw+Mc)-a + Mcg sin(theta). The slope of this equation represents (Mw+Mc)-a, while the intercept corresponds to Mcg sin(theta). Through this equation, we deduced that the results of part 2, compared to those of part 1, presented a decrease in the theoretical measured values, leading to a substantial increase in the percentage difference. Possible sources of error in this table include inaccuracies in setting the inclined plane or measuring its angle of inclination, as well as potential errors in counting the glider masses and weight, which could compromise the validity of our data. Similarly, in Part 2, our group constructed another graph illustrating the inverse proportionality between force and acceleration. As in part one, the data collected in part two produced a line graph, claiming that this experiment indeed demonstrates Newton's second law of motion. The results reaffirm the validity of Newton's second law of motion, emphasizing the proportional relationship between applied force and acceleration. Conclusions Through carrying out this experiment, I gained valuable knowledge about measuring the masses of objects and determining the forces applied to them. Our diligent data collection efforts in Parts 1 and 2, aided by Logger Pro, provided us not only with the acceleration values, but also with theoretical and measured values. Most notably, we managed to construct graphs in both parts, elucidating the correlation between force and acceleration. This experiment reinforced the fundamentals of Newton's second law of motion, demonstrating that the mass of an object is inversely proportional to its acceleration, while the force applied to an object is in direct proportion. Newton's second law of motion finds practical application in scenarios.