Activity 7A Newtons Second LawConstant Force PS-2826

Newtons Second LawConstant Force

Mechanics: Newtons Second Law acce!eration net "orce
Qty Equipment and Materials Part Number
# PASP$%& '(!orer )L' PS-2**2
# PASP$%& Motion Sensor PS-2#*+
# #,2 - PASC$ &rac.
# )$car M/-601#
# S2(er P2!!ey with C!a-( M/-0338A
# 4oo.ed Mass Set S/-8710
# 5a!ance S/-872+
# - 5raided Physics Strin6 S/-8*1*
Purpose
The purpose of this activity is to determine what happens to an objects acceleration when the net
force applied to the object stays constant but the mass of the system is changed.
Bac!round
Often, several forces act on an object simultaneously. In such cases,
it is the net force, or the vector sum of all the forces acting, that is
important.
Newton's irst !aw of motion states that if no net force acts on an
object, the velocity of the object remains unchanged. The "econd
deals with what happens when a net force does act on an object.
Newton's second law states that the acceleration is directly
proportional to the net force acting on the object and in the same
direction as the net force. Newton's "econd !aw also states that the
acceleration is inversely proportional to the mass. If the mass of an
object increases and the net force is #ept constant, the acceleration
decreases.
Sa"ety Precautions
ollow all directions for using the e$uipment.
Pre#iew
%se a &otion "ensor to measure the motion of a cart that is accelerated by a net
force. %se the 'plorer (!' to record the motion and display and analy)e the velocity
of the cart.
Prediction
*. +hat will happen to an object when you apply a net force to it,
-. +hat will happen to the motion of an object as its mass changes but you #eep the
magnitude of the net force on it constant,
Procedure
Physics with the '(!orer )L' 7 2**6 PASCO (, +0
Newton $%&'(%)()*

a

Activity 7A Newtons Second LawConstant Force PS-2826

+L, Setup
1. .onnect the &otion "ensor to one of the sensor ports
on the top end of the (!'. /ut the range selection
switch on the top end of the &otion "ensor to the 0near
1cart2 setting.
2. Turn on the (!' 1 2.
The (raph screen opens with a graph of /osition 1m2
versus Time 1s2.
Equipment Setup
*. &easure and record the mass of the cart.
-. /lace the trac# on a hori)ontal surface and level the trac#. 1/lace the cart on the trac#. If
the cart rolls one way or the other, adjust the trac# to raise or lower one end.2
3. 4ttach the &otion "ensor to one end of the trac#. /lace the cart about *5 cm from the
sensor. 4im the sensor at the cart.
6. 4ttach the "uper /ulley with .lamp at the other end of the trac#. /lace a bloc# in front of
the pulley to protect it from being hit by the cart.
5. (et a piece of string that is about -7 cm longer than the distance from the floor to the top
of the pulley. Tie the sting to the end of the cart and place the string over the pulley. Tie a
loop in the other end of the string.
8. &easure and record the mass of a -79g hoo#ed mass and hang the mass from the loop at the
end of the string.
:. 4djust the string if needed so that when the cart is at the pulley, the hoo#ed mass on the end
of the string almost reaches;but does not touch;the floor.
-ecord .ata
Part %/ No E0tra Mass 1dded
*. /ull the cart bac# so the mass is just below the pulley 1but ma#e sure that the cart is at least
*5 cm away from the sensor2.
-. /ress "tart to start recording data. <elease the cart so it moves toward the pulley.
3. /ress to stop recording data just before the cart reaches the end of the trac#.
Physics with the '(!orer )L' 7 2**6 PASCO (, 3*
Fi!2 %/ Motion Sensor
settin!
Fi!2 (/ Equipment setup
Activity 7A Newtons Second LawConstant Force PS-2826
Part (/ First E0tra Mass 1dded
*. or <un =-, add -77 g 17.-
#g2 to the top of the cart.
<ecord the total mass of the
cart plus e>tra mass.
-. /ress "tart to start
recording data. <elease the
cart so it moves toward the pulley.
3. /ress to stop recording data just before the cart reaches the end of the trac#.
Part 3/ Second E0tra Mass
*. or <un =3, add another -77 g 17.- #g2 to the top of the cart 1for an additional mass of
677 g or 7.6 #g2. <ecord the total mass of the cart plus e>tra mass.
-. <ecord the motion of the cart as before.
Part '/ 45ird E0tra Mass 1dded
*. inally, for <un =6, put a total of 877 g 17.8 #g2 on top of the cart. <ecord the total mass of
the cart plus the e>tra mass.
-. <ecord the motion of the cart as before.
1nalysis
%se the (raph screen to e>amine the velocity of the cart for each data run. ind the slope of the
velocity to determine the acceleration for each run.
*. To change the (raph screen to show a specific run of
data, press to activate the vertical a>is menu.
/ress the up9arrow #ey 1 2 to move to 0<un =? in
the upper right corner. /ress to open the menu,
select the data run in the menu, and press to
activate your choice.
-. To change the (raph screen from /osition 1m2 versus
Time 1s2 to @elocity 1mAs2 versus Time 1s2, press
to activate the vertical a>is menu. /ress again to open the menu. "elect 0Other and
then select 0@elocity. /ress to activate your choice.
3. To determine the slope of the velocity, press F3 1 2 to open the 0Tools menu. %se the
up9down arrow #eys to select 0!inear it and press to activate your choice.
The 0!inear it shows the slope of the entire plot of velocity. Bou may need to select a
region of interest 1<OI2 in your plot of data.
6. To select a region of interest in your data, move the active cursor to the end of the region of
interest. 1NoteC There is another, smaller cursor at the beginning of the data.2 Open the
Physics with the '(!orer )L' 7 2**6 PASCO (, 3#
Fi!2 '/ Select 67elocity
Fi!2 3/ 1dd (88 !
Activity 7A Newtons Second LawConstant Force PS-2826
0Tools menu and select 0"wap .ursor. /ress to
activate your choice.
The active cursor is now at the beginning of the data
and the smaller cursor is at the end of the region of
interest.
5. %se the right9left arrow #eys to move the active cursor
to the beginning of the region of interest. The slope of
the 0!inear it of your data appears below the
hori)ontal a>is.
8. <ecord Slope as the acceleration for <un =*.
:. <epeat the analysis process to find the acceleration for
each run of data.
-ecord your results and answer t5e questions in
t5e Lab -eport section2
Physics with the '(!orer )L' 7 2**6 PASCO (, 32
Fi!2 9/ Select 6Swap Cursor
Fi!2 &/ Mo#e t5e acti#e cursor
Activity 7A Newtons Second LawConstant Force PS-2826
Lab -eport 1cti#ity )1/ Newtons Second LawConstant Force
Name :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: .ate :::::::::::
Prediction
*. +hat will happen to an object when you apply a net force to it,
-. +hat will happen to the motion of an object as its mass changes but you #eep the
magnitude of the net force on it constant,
.ata
"#etch a graph of position versus time for one run of data. Include labels and units for your y9
a>es and >9a>es.
Physics with the '(!orer )L' 7 2**6 PASCO (, 3+
Activity 7A Newtons Second LawConstant Force PS-2826
"#etch a graph of velocity versus time for one run of data. Include labels and units for your y9a>es
and >9a>es.
Calculations
.alculate the theoretical acceleration when the mass is constant and the net force is changed and
record the calculations in the Data Table 3.
The theoretical acceleration is the ratio of the net force divided by the total mass.

a =

+

or runs =-, =3, and =6, the total mass of the system 1mass of cart plus hanging mass2
increases and the net force 1hanging mass > E.F2 remains constant.
4ssuming no friction, the net force is the weight of the hanging mass 1mass > E.F NA#g2.
ind the percent difference between the theoretical and e>perimental acceleration and record it in
the data table.

%diff =

100
Physics with the '(!orer )L' 7 2**6 PASCO (, 33
Activity 7A Newtons Second LawConstant Force PS-2826
.ata 4able %
;tem Mass $!*
%2n 8#: &ota! -ass o" the han6in6 -ass 9mhanging::
%2n 8#: &ota! -ass o" cart 9mcart::
%2n 82: &ota! -ass o" cart (!2s *,2** .6:
%2n 8+: &ota! -ass o" cart (!2s *,3** .6:
%2n 83: &ota! -ass o" cart (!2s *,6** .6
Net "orce 9han6in6 -ass ; 0,8 N<.6:: _________
.ata 4able (/ E0perimental 1cceleration
-un 1cceleration $m<s
(
*
.ata 4able 3
-un Mass= cart
$!*
4otal mass $!* 1cc2= t5eory $m<s
(
* 1cc2= e0p2 $m<s
(
* > di""erence
8#
82
8+
83
Questions
*. or runs =-, =3, and =6, what did you observe about the slope of the !inear it as the net
force remained constant but the total mass increased,
-. +hat happens to an objects acceleration if the net force applied to the object is #ept
constant but the objects mass increases,
Physics with the '(!orer )L' 7 2**6 PASCO (, 31
Activity 7A Newtons Second LawConstant Force PS-2826
Physics with the '(!orer )L' 7 2**6 PASCO (, 36