Lab Report 3
Report by: student
Purpose
Lab 3A: For this lab we conducted an experiment that demonstrated graphs of motion and
determining how the position co
elates to time on a position versus time graph. The purpose of
the lab was to graphically and mathematically understand how a position versus time graph
ehave based on a specific velocity, position, and time.
Lab 3B: For this next test we conducted an experiment that demonstrated graphs of motion
and determining how the velocity co
elates to time on a velocity versus time graph. The purpose
of the lab was to graphically and mathematically understand how a velocity versus time graph
ehave based on a specific velocity, position, time, and acceleration.
Lab 3C: For this lab we conducted an experiment timing the distance it takes to reach the
ottom of the incline plane calculating the instantaneous speed to find average velocity. The
purpose of this experiment is to measure the average speed of an object over a decreasing
distance and to capture the average speed to find the instantaneous speed.
Lab 3D: For this lab we conducted an experiment measuring the acceleration on an inclined
plane. We lowered the inclined plane after each measurement was taken starting the cart off at
the midpoint. The purpose of this experiment was ultimately to use the slope off of the cart’s
acceleration versus sin(θ) graph to find acceleration due to gravity and compare the results to the
theoretical value.
Apparatus
Part A:
• PASCO Interface (for one sensor)
• Motion Sensor
• Reflector board
• Data Studio
Part B
• PASCO Interface (for one sensor)
• Motion Sensor
• Reflector Board
• Data Studio
Part C
• PASCO Interface (for two sensors)
• IDS Photogates and Fences
• 2.2 m Dynamics Track
• Dynamics Cart
• Meter Stick
• Data Studio
Part D
• PASCO Interface (for one sensor)
• Acceleration Sensor
• Angle Indicator
• 2.2 m Dynamics Track
• Dynamics Cart
• Large Rod Base and 45-cm Rod
• Data Studio
Theory
Part A: While observing a position vs time graph we are studying a few things. We are able to
determine how far an object traveled, along with how long It took to get that far. Plus, you are
able to identify the velocity it was traveling. In order to find velocity, you can calculate it by
taking the slope of the line, which is determined by the simple formula
???????? =
∆????????(?)
∆????(?)
Part B: While observing a velocity vs time graph we are studying a few things. We are able to
determine how fast an object was moving, along with how long It took to get that far. Plus, you
are able to identify the acceleration and position. In order to find acceleration, you can calculate
it by taking the slope of the line, and you can calculate distance by taking the area under the line.
They are determined by the formulas.
????????????(?/?2) =
∆????????(?)
∆????(?)
Part C: As the cart goes down the incline plane to zero we find the average velocity, by finding
the average distance it takes over the average time it takes to reach the bottom.
???????? =
∆????????(?)
∆????(?)
Part D: After each trial, we used data studio to measure acceleration to show how it relates to
gsin(θ). We then calculated acceleration with the use of the slope off of the cart’s acceleration
versus sin(θ) graph to find acceleration due to gravity. We then compared the experimental value
of acceleration due to gravity on an inclined plane with the theoretical value of acceleration due
to gravity to find percent e
or.
1. a=gsin(θ)
2. percent difference=|
????????????−?ℎ?????????
?ℎ?????????
|x 100%
Procedure
Part A:
First, gather all materials—PASCO interface, motion sensor and reflector board. Open up data
studio and click the file “04 Position_Time.ds”. After gathering materials and setting up the
DataStudio an example of distance versus time graph will pop up for you to follow. Place the
motion sensor aimed at mid-section and hold board steadily in front of you. The program will
give you three seconds before recording data and provides a pointer that moves up and down
depending on the movement in front of the sensor. This will automatically stop recording data
after 10 seconds. Use the reflector board and stand in front of the PASCO sensor while moving
forward and backward in an attempt to replicate the graph using the appropriate motion. To
delete the previous trials off of the graph, click experiment and delete all data runs. You should
attempt this until you get as close as possible to the original graph.
Part B:
First, gather all materials—PASCO interface, motion sensor and reflector board. Open up data
studio and click the file “04BVelocity_Time.ds”. After gathering materials and setting up the
DataStudio, an example velocity versus time graph will appear for you to follow. Similar to part
A, place the motion sensor aimed at your mid-section and hold the board steadily in front of you.
The program will give you three seconds before recording data and provides a pointer that moves
up and down depending on the movement in front of the sensor. This will automatically stop
ecording data after 10 seconds. Use the reflector board and stand in front of the PASCO sensor
while moving forward and backward in an attempt to replicate the graph using the appropriate
motion. To delete the previous trials off of the graph, click experiment and delete all data runs.
You should attempt this until you get as close as possible to the original graph.
Part C:
First, gather all materials—PASCO Interface for two sensors, IDS photogates and fences, 2.2 m
Dynamics track, dynamics cart and a meter stick. Open up Data Studio and click the file
“05AverageSpeed.ds.” This should open up graphs of Average Speed versus Distance as well as
a table display of distance, time between gates, and average speed. After gathering materials and
setting up the ramp and PASCO interface, you first have to measure different points on the ramp.
Find a midpoint on the ramp and set up the each interface 40 cm away from the midpoint on
opposite sides. Before you start the experiment, make sure to put the five pattern picket fence,
solid band side up, onto the cart. Then, adjust the heights of the two photogates so the beams are
locked as the cart moves down the track. Also, be sure the distance between the two photogates
matches the first distance located in the Distance table. After you put the cart on the ramp and
start the timer, keep the timer remaining continuous throughout the entire experiment. After the
cart reaches the bottom of the ramp, save each trial onto the data table, and move the interface 5
cm in on both sides and reattempt the experiment to capture the time it takes to go through each
interface as it approaches a distance of zero.
Part D:
First, gather all materials—PASCO Interface, acceleration sensor, angle indicator, 2.2 m
Dynamics track, dynamics cart and large rod base and 45 cm rod. Open up Data Studio and click
the file “10gsintheta.ds.” This should open up graphs of Acceleration versus Time and
Acceleration versus ‘sin(theta)’, along with a data table provided. After gathering materials,
setting up the PASCO interface, placing ramp at 20 cm high, and mounting the angle indicator
onto the raised end of the track, we then attached the acceleration sensor to the cart, switching
the setting to slow. We then put a mark where our midpoint was located, which was also our
starting point. Before letting go of the cart on each trial, we used the angle indicator to help us
calculate the sine of the angle, as well as making sure to zero out the sensor by pressing ‘TARE’.
We pressed start each time we let go of the cart and stop after the cart reached the bottom of the
track. After recording the data, we repeated the procedure using new heights. For each trial, we
lowered the ramp 4 cm, until the ramp reached a height of only 4 cm, which was our stopping
point.
Data Tables
Part C:
Trial Distance “D” m Average Speed (m/s)
XXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXX
Part D:
Analysis of Data
In lab 3A and 3C, the equation below is used to find the slope of the line to find velocity.
The slope of the graph in part C was XXXXXXXXXXaccording to data studio.
???????? =
∆????????(?)
∆????(?)
Ex:
0.719−0.715
0.4−0.5
= −0.04
In lab 3D, we used the equation, a=gsin(θ), to calculate the theoretical acceleration values
and then plugged the answer into the equation, percent difference=|
????????????−?ℎ?????????
?ℎ?????????
|x 100%,
to find the percent difference between theoretical and experimental values. The remaining
theoretical values are 0.85 for all sin(5) and 0.59 for sin(3.5). The remaining percent
differences not including run one are 5.88, 17.65, and 50.5.
Ex: a=gsin(θ)
A=(9.8)(sin(5))
A= XXXXXXXXXX)
A= 0.85
Ex 2: % difference=|
????????????−?ℎ?????????
?ℎ?????????
|x 100%,
% difference=|
1.1−0.85
0.85
|x 100%
% difference= 29.4%
During a lab experiment, there will always be experimental uncertainties. For this lab in
particular, a lot of the experimental uncertainties probably have to do with human e
or. There
was one person hitting stop and start while the other was pushing the cart. The student pressing
the start and stop button could have a delayed reaction and stop/start it too early or too late. This
also applies to the student letting go of the cart, as they could have released it too delayed or
early. Another one of our experimental e
ors had to do with the actual equipment we were
using. In lab 3D, after multiple attempts of graphing results not being accurate, we called the
teacher over to see what we could have been doing wrong.