III.

Analysis of Data
Kinematics is the branch of mechanics that describes the
motion of objects without consideration of the causes of motion.

Part I. Determination of the Average Velocity of a Dynamics Cart

TABLE 1

X 0 =

25 cm

Trial

Xf

1
2
3
4
5

65 cm
75 cm
85 cm
95 cm
105 cm

Carts
Displacement

40
50
60
70
80

Time (t)

cm
cm
cm
cm
cm

0.5663
0.6789
0.8335
0.9876
1.1178

Average Speed

s
s
s
s
s

70.63
73.65
71.99
70.88
71.57

cm/s
cm/s
cm/s
cm/s
cm/s

On this part of the experiment, we observed the time it takes

the cart to travel from

Xo

to X f as we increase the

displacement. From the data on Table 1, it can be observed that

an increase in the carts displacement will cause an increase in
the time it takes the cart to travel from

Xo

to X f . Thus, we can

say that displacement is directly proportional to time.

Part II. Determination of Acceleration due to Gravity Using a

Dynamics Cart
TABLE 2

X o =

18 cm

Tracks length, L=120 cm

X f =

85 cm

Total displacement, X=67 cm

Trial

Tracks
Height (H)

Acceleration
(a)

sin =

H
L

g=

a
sin

t=

2X
a

15 cm

76.7 cm/s2

0.125

613.6

1.322 s

cm/s 2
2

20 cm

25 cm

30 cm

35 cm
2

Actual value: g=9 80 cm/s

128.7
cm/s2

0.167

230.3
cm/s2

0.208

254.7
cm/s2

0.250

329.9
cm/s2

0.217

772.2
cm/s

g=891.31 cm/s

0725 s

1131.1
cm/s

0.763 s

1018.8
cm/s

Average

921.2
cm/s

1.020 s

0.637 s

%error = 9.05

On the second part, we observed the acceleration of the cart

every time we increase the height of the track. From the data
obtained, we can see that the effect of an increase the height is
an increase in the carts acceleration. Because of the inclination
of the track, the cart will have a greater acceleration. Also, an
increase in the height of the track will cause a decrease in time.
2
From the data, we obtained g=891.31 cm/s . Since the actual value
2
is g=98 0 cm/s , we yield 9.05 %error. A possible cause of error is

that the track is not frictionless.

Part III. Determination of Acceleration Due to Gravity Using Picket

Fence and Smart Timer
TABLE 3
Trial
Accelerati
on (a)

Average

%error

934.8

1061.6

993.6

1000.0

1029.3

1003.8
6

2.43%

On this part of the experiment, we obtained the average

2
acceleration as gexperimental =1003.83 cm/s . And the actual value is

g=98 0 cm/s2 . With this we computed that the %error is 2.43. This

is due to air resistance possible human error.

IV. Conclusion
From the results of the experiment, we can conclude the
following:
The carts displacement is directly proportional to time it
takes the cart to travel from

Xo

to X f .

The carts acceleration is directly proportional to the height

of the track. The acceleration increased as the angle of
inclination increased.
Time is inversely proportional to the inclination of the track.
This is because the height (inclination) of the track increased
the cart will have a greater acceleration.
The value g we obtained from parts 2 and 3 of the
2
experiment must be equal to 980 cm/s . Possible causes of

error are the track has friction, air resistance, and possible
human error.

One application of kinematics in the field of Civil Engineering is in

Kinematics of Fluid Flow/Fluid Mechanics.VI. References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinematics
http://surfcivil.blogspot.com/2009/12/kinematics-of-fluid-flow1.html