University:
Texas A&M University
Course:
PHYS 201 | College Physics
Academic year:

2024
Views:

345

Pages:

1
Author:

Athena Harrison

Name________________ Date________ NEWTON’S SECOND LAW OF MOTION: Acceleration is produced when a force acts on a mass. The greater the mass of the object being accelerated the greater the amount of force needed to accelerate the object. This experiment will teach you more about why Newton’s Second Law of Motion, which states that the force of an object is equal to its mass times the its acceleration In this experiment you will discover how Newton’s Second Law works by conducting a race with two cars. PROCEDURE 1: Set up a ramp using meter sticks and several books. Place one end of the ramp on the books and line up the other end with a piece of masking tape on the floor. 2: Place the vehicle at the top of your meter stick and roll it down the ramp. Use a meter stick to measure how far the vehicle rolls. Repeat this step for Trials 2 & 3. 3: Add five washers to the vehicle and repeat the process from Step 2. Record your measurements in the chart. Be sure all the washers remain on the vehicle! Repeat this step for Trials 2 & 3. 4: Add five more washers to the vehicle and repeat the process from Step 2. Record your measurements in the chart. Be sure all the washers remain on the vehicle! Repeat this step for Trials 2 & 3. # of Washers Distance (cm) Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average distance 0 5 10 Examine your data to look for trends and record your observations. This will prepare you for the questions that follow. For example, what effect did the increase in mass have on the distance the car traveled? And what does this say about the force of the car: Is the force increasing or decreasing as the mass increases and acceleration is constant? Think About It 1. How does increasing mass (adding more washers) affect the force of objects in motion (the distance the vehicle rolls)? Explain your answer using data from the chart. 2. What would happen if you added five additional washers to the car? Predict how far the car would roll. 3. Explain the results of your experiment in terms of Newton’s 2nd Law.