Download Force, mass, acceleration lab

Force, mass, acceleration lab
Problem: What are the relationships among
force, mass, and acceleration?
Background: When mass is constant, force is
proportional to _____
When force is constant, acceleration is inversely
proportional to _____
Hypothesis: With a constant force, as we
increase the mass of the car, the acceleration will
___________ because _____________________.
And with a constant mass, as we increase the
force on the car, the acceleration will _________
because _________________________
Procedure:
1. Use the scales, which measure Newtons (force) to
pull the car with a constant force.
2. Change the mass of the car by using weights.
3. Measure the acceleration by using the ticker tape
timer, to get a general idea of the acceleration that
occurs.
4. Do several trials with several different weights, also,
do several trials using different force with the same
mass.
5. Compare each of the ticker tapes to determine how
the mass is affecting the acceleration, when using a
constant force, and how force affects acceleration
using a constant mass. Remember that each space
between 2 dots = 1/60 of a second.
6. Make sure you record your data and label your ticker
tapes, so you can see your results.
Data:
What data are you collecting?
How are you going to collect your data?
How are you going to record your data?
What is that data going to show you?
How can you organize the data?
How can you graph the data?
What will represent acceleration in this lab?
Can we calculate acceleration using the ticker tape
timers? (Think change in velocity divided by
change in time.)
Data analysis:
1. Create a representative graph to show how
mass affects acceleration when the force is 1N.
Use these 5 equal increases for your masses:
0.5kg, 1.0kg, 1.5kg, 2.0kg, 2.5kg
2. Create a representative graph to show how
an increase in force affects acceleration when
the mass is 1kg. Use these 5 increases in
force: 0.5N, 1.0N, 1.5N, 2.0N, 2.5N
Remember that F=ma, m=F/a, and a=F/m
• What was the purpose of this lab? (The purpose of this lab
was to…..)
• What did the data show you and was your hypothesis
supported by your data? (summarize what you found out
during this experiment)
• How can you explain your data? (why did the acceleration
do what it did when you changed the mass or the force)
• What errors occurred and how might error have affected
your results? (really focus on this section, because there
were lots)
• How could you improve the experiment ?
• What other questions related to this experiment do you
have?