Atwoods Machine EX-9973

Page 1 of 8

Lab Report: Newtons Second Law Atwoods Machine

Name:

Sample Data

DATA TABLE for PROCEDURE A: Total Mass Constant

Experimental
Descending

m1

Ascending

aexp

m2

(Slope of the v vs. t plot.)

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Average

29.9

27.1

0.335

0.341

0.334

0.337

31.9

25.1

0.964

0.967

0.945

0.959

35.9

21.1

2.12

2.22

1.95

2.097

37.0

20.1

2.57

2.32

2.51

2.467

[g]

[g]

Run

Descending

m1

Ascending

m2

Total Mass

29.9

27.1

31.9

25.1

35.9

37.0
[g]

Net Force

M total

m1 m2

Run

[m/s2]

Fnet

m1 m2 g

Experimental

Theoretical

aexp

a theo

Percent
difference

(Average)

Fnet M total

0.027

0.337

0.481

35.4%

0.067

0.959

1.169

19.8%

21.1

0.145

2.097

2.545

19.3%

20.1

0.166

2.467

2.901

16.2%

[g]

Written by Cecilia A. Hernndez

57.0

[g]

[N]

2010

[m/s ]

[m/s ]

Atwoods Machine EX-9973

Page 2 of 8

DATA TABLE for PROCEDURE B: Net Force Constant

Experimental
Descending

m1

Ascending

aexp

m2

(Slope of the v vs. t plot.)

Run

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Average

14.9

10.0

1.44

1.44

1.33

1.403

16.9

12.0

1.24

1.23

1.22

1.230

17.9

13.0

1.17

1.17

1.18

1.173

37.8

32.9

0.509

0.502

0.510

0.507

[g]

[g]

Descending

m1

Ascending

m2

Total Mass

M total

m1 m2

Run

[m/s2]
Net Force

Fnet

m1 m2 g

Experimental

Theoretical

Percent
difference

aexp

a theo

(Average)

Fnet M total

1.403

1.929

31.5%

1.230

1.662

29.9%

14.9

10.0

24.9

16.9

12.0

28.9

17.9

13.0

30.9

1.173

1.554

27.9%

37.8

32.9

70.7

0.507

0.679

29.0%

[g]

[g]

[g]

0.048

[N]

[m/s ]

[m/s ]

Atwoods Machine EX-9973

Page 3 of 8

DATA for PROCEDURE C: The Effect of the Pulley

Mass of string used in Procedures A & B:

0.4 g

Diameter of the Super Pulley: 5.1 cm

Radius of the Super Pulley,

r 2.54 cm

From Previous Activities

Experimenta
l
Acceleration
Ru
n

Net Force

Calculate
Total Mass

Fnet

M total

assumed

assumed

Fnet

assumed

M total

assumedl

m1 m2 g

m1 m2

0.337

0.027

0.057

0.0082

0.959

0.067

0.057

0.0120

2.097

0.145

0.057

0.0255

2.467

0.166

0.057

0.0248

1.403

0.048

0.025

0.0131

1.230

0.048

0.029

0.0125

1.173

0.048

0.031

0.0118

0.507

0.048

0.071

0.0122

[m/s2]

[N]

[kg]

[N]

From the plot:

Slope, m = 0.0081 kg

y-intercept, f = 0.0041 N
Calculation:

Rotational Inertia of the pulley, I = 52.3 x 10-7 kg m2

Written by Cecilia A. Hernndez

2010

Atwoods Machine EX-9973

Page 4 of 8

Atwoods Machine EX-9973

Page 5 of 8

QUESTIONS PROCEDURE A: Total Mass Constant

1

Look at the data: as the net force increased, what happened to the acceleration? Did it increase,
decrease or stay constant?

As the net force increased, the acceleration increased as well.

1.

Did a change in the net force produce a change in acceleration by the same factor? Do your
results agree with Newtons 2nd Law?

The factor was not always exactly the same. For example, Trial 1 has Fnet = 0.027
N, and Trial 4 has Fnet = 0.166 N. That is an increase in the net force by a factor of
about 6. (0.166/0.027 = 6.2). In comparison, the acceleration increased from
0.337 m/s2 to 2.467 m/2, an increase by a factor of approximately 7.
2.

Use this grid to make a plot of Net Force vs. Experimental Acceleration and draw the best fitting
line.

Written by Cecilia A. Hernndez

2010

Atwoods Machine EX-9973

Page 6 of 8

2.0
1.8
1.6
1.4

2
, 0.14)
(2.0 m/s
, 0.14 N)

1.2
1.0
.08
.06
.04

(0.5 m/s2 , 0.04 N)

.02
m/s2
.5

1.5

2.5

Experimental Acceleration

3.

Calculate the slope of the best-fitting line. What does the slope of the best-fit line represent?
(Hint: what are the units of the slope?)
Slope:
0.14 N 0.04 N
_________________________

= 0.067 kg

2.0 m/s2 0.5 m/s2

The slope represents the total mass of the system. The units are N/m/s2, which is
equivalent to kg.

Atwoods Machine EX-9973

Page 7 of 8

QUESTIONS PROCEDURE B: Net Force Constant

1

Look at the data: as the total mass increased, what happened to the acceleration? Did it increase,
decrease or stay constant?

As the total mass increased, the acceleration decreased.

4.

Did a change in the total mass produce a change in acceleration by the same factor? Do your
results agree with Newtons 2nd Law?

The factor was almost exactly the same. For example, Trial 1 has Mass = 24.9 g,
and Trial 4 has Mass = 70.7 g. That is an increase in the total mass by a factor of
about 2.8. (70.7/24.8 = 2.8). In comparison, the acceleration decreased from
1.403 m/s2 to 0.507 m/2, a decrease by a factor of approximately 1/2.8
(1.403/0.507 = 2.8).

QUESTIONS PROCEDURE C: The Rotational Inertia of the Pulleys

1

The motion and mass of the string that moves the system was never considered in any part of the
theoretical analysis. Looking at your results, is it reasonable to ignore the mass of the string as
part of the total mass of the system? Discuss.

The mass of the string is extremely small compared to the calculated excess
mass of the system. It is reasonable to assume that the mass of the string does
not considerably affect the results and it is OK to ignore it. The excess mass
seems to be the effect of the rotational inertia of the pulley and it is also very
small, as expected.

Looking back at the ideal case: was it safe to assume that the system is essentially frictionless?

Yes, it was safe to assume this. There is friction in the system, but it is minimal.

What has a larger impact on the percent differences found in procedures A & B, the small excess
mass or the small amount of friction? Discuss.

The small amount of friction varies from being 3% to 15% of the net force across
the trials. The small excess mass varies from being 11% to 32% of the total mass.
It seems that the effects of the rotational inertia of the pulley are more significant
than any friction in the system in each of the trials.
Written by Cecilia A. Hernndez

2010

Atwoods Machine EX-9973

Page 8 of 8

Assuming frictional forces only act to oppose the linear motion of the masses, and that each mass
receives the same amount of friction f , prove that f 2 f .

The equation of motion of the descending

T
f
m

mass, m1 , is:
a

m1 g T f m1a

m2 g

The equation of motion for the ascending mass,

m1 g

m2 , is:
T m2 g f m2 a

Adding the two equations together:

m1 g m2 g 2 f m1 m2 a

That is,
a

Fnet
m g m2 g 2 f
1
M total
m1 m2