Community College of Philadelphia

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Experiment Number: M-7

Title: Newton’s Laws of Motion

Performed by: Zinoubia Hasasna

Physics course: Physics 140

Lab day: 2/26/2018

Lab Instructor: Wojciech Gontar

Date due: 3/12/2018

Purpose: the purpose of this experiment is to investigate Newton’s Second Law of Motion by
measuring the acceleration of a given mass caused by a given net force.

Procedure:

1. We double checked that the pulley overhangs the table with the pulley disk in a vertical
plane. Then we placed masses of approximately 1000 g on each weight hanger. Theses
masses included four 5 g masses at the top of the left hanger. Then we hold back the 1 g
and 2 g masses from the weight sets but didn’t initially used them on the hangers. Then
we moved the weights up and down carefully to be sure that is no obstruction until the
weight hit the floor on each side.
2. Then we lowered the left weight hanger until it touched the floor. Then we pulled
downward very slightly on the right weight hanger and watch it descend at a constant
velocity. Then we repeated again and added a 0.5 g to the left hanger because the right
weight hanger was speeding up instead of slowing down. We continued these
adjustments and observation until the right weight hanger could be made to descend with
a very slow and constant velocity.
3. Then we determined the total mass at the left hanger, including the slotted weights and
the hanger itself. Then we recorded this mass on the data sheet as m1 . then we recorded
the total mas at the right hanger as m2.
4. We calculated the predicted values of the acceleration for ∆ 𝑚5𝑔 , 10 𝑔, 15 𝑔, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 20 𝑔
.The total m1+m2 should have been the same in each case as on the first line of the data
sheet.
5. Then we transferred a 5 g mass from the left hanger to the right eight hanger. (∆ 𝑚 = 5𝑔)
6. We pressed down lightly on the left hanger and hold it against the floor. Then we
measured the distance from the floor to the bottom of the right weight hanger and record
it as s.
7. At the same time, we released the left weight hanger and start the stopwatch. When the
right weight hanger hit the floor, we stopped the stopwatch. Then we record it at the data
sheet as t. one of my partner was holding down the left weight hanger only by touching
the top weight with one finger. Also, one of us release both of the weight hanger and
operate the stopwatch. While my partner was operating the stopwatch, and observing the
 right weight hanger, I cup my hand under the rising left hanger without touching the
hanger to catch any weight that might fall off.
8. Then we calculated the actual acceleration and compere this value to the value of
predicted in step 5, and calculated the percent difference.
9. Then we transferred an additional 5 g mass from the left hanger to the right hanger
∆ 𝑚 = 10𝑔.
Then we repeated step 7,8, and 9.

Calculations:
2∆𝑚𝑔
1. Calculated 𝑎𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑑 by using this equation ( 𝑎𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑑 = ) , 𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠 by using this
𝑚1 +𝑚2
2𝑠
equation (𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠 = ) , and percent difference by using this equation
𝑡2
|𝑆𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒−𝐹𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 |
(% 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 = |𝐹𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒+𝑆𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 | ∗ 200)

 first trial

2∆𝑚𝑔 2∗5∗980
𝑎𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑑 = = = 4.67cm/ s2
𝑚1 +𝑚2 2100

2𝑠 2∗72.80
𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠 = = = 4.48 cm/s2
𝑡2 5.702
|𝑆𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒−𝐹𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 | |4.67−4.48 |
% 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 = |𝐹𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒+𝑆𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 | ∗ 200 = |4.67+4.48|
∗ 200 = 4.15%

 second trial

2∗10∗980
𝑎𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑑 = = 9.33 cm /s2
2100

2∗72.80
𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠 = = 9.52 cm/s2
3.912

|𝑆𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒−𝐹𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 | |9.33−9.52 |

% 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 = |𝐹𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒+𝑆𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 | ∗ 200= |9.33+9.52|
∗ 200 = 2.02%

 third trial

2∗15∗980
𝑎𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑑 = = 14.00 cm/s2
2100

2∗72.80
𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠 = = 14.04 cm/s2
3.222
 |𝑆𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒−𝐹𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 | |14.00−14.04 |
% 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 = |𝐹𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒+𝑆𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 | ∗ 200= |14.00+14.04|
∗ 200 = 0.29%

 forth trial

2∗20∗980
𝑎𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑑 = = 18.67 cm/s2
2100

2∗72.80
𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠 = = 18.84 cm/s2
2.782

|𝑆𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒−𝐹𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 | |18.67−18.84 |

% 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 = |𝐹𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒+𝑆𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 | ∗ 200 = = |18.67+18.84|
∗ 200 = 0.91%

Questions:

1. Applying Newton second law for m1 and m2:

m1 a= T-m1g
m2 a = m2g -T
add the two equations
m1 a + m2 a = T-m1g + m2g -T
a (m1+ m2) = (m2 -m1) g
(𝑚2 −𝑚1) 𝑔
a= (m1+ m2)

from the first equation

T = m1 a + m1 g substitute a
𝑚1 (𝑚2 −𝑚1) 𝑔
T= + m1 g
(m1+ m2)
2𝑚1 𝑚2 𝑔
T= 𝑚1 +𝑚2

2. Newton’s first law: if no force acts on a body, the body’s velocity cannot change;
that is, the body cannot accelerate
Newton’s second law: According to this law, the net force on a body is equal to the
product of the body’s mass and its acceleration.
 Newton’s third law: when two bodies interact, the forces on the bodies from each
other are always equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.
The analysis of the motion of Atwood’s machine requires the application of all three
of Newton’s law. the first law establishes that the system will not accelerate when the
system is balanced. The third law is implicit in the balance of the system, and more
generally is required to establish the connection T1=T2 between the forces exerted by
the string on each of the two masses. The second law is used to analyze free body
diagrams of the system. For these diagrams two constrained equations can be drawn.
These two equations further analyzed to get the expressions for the systems
acceleration and the tension.

3. Using newton's 2nd law,

𝐹 𝑛𝑒𝑡 = ma

for string, mass is very small so we can assume ma = 0

so 𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 0

Fnet = T3 – T2= 0

T2 = T3

similarly,

T3 = T2 and T3 = T4

and from three equations we can say T1 = T2 = T3 = T4

a. T1=T2 because of Newton's 3rd law that for every action force, there is an equal
but opposite reaction force. The net force of T1 and T2 must equal zero.

b. T2=T3 because of Newton's 3rd law that for every action force, there is an equal
but opposite reaction force. The net force of T2 and T3 must equal zero.
c. T3=T4 because of Newton's 3rd law that for every action force, there is an equal
but opposite reaction force. The net force of T3 and T4 must equal zero.

d. T1=T4 because of Newton's 3rd law that for every action force, there is an equal
but opposite reaction force. The net force of T1 and T4 must equal zero.

Analysis & Discussion of Results

In this experiment, Newton’s law was successfully tested by using an Atwood
machine. The acceleration was measured, as the two individual masses hanging from
the two pulleys attached to the Atwood machine was varied but the total mass was
kept constant. The collected data was not completely accurate due to the systemic
error of the Atwood machine, the frictional force present, the effective mass present
in pulley, two things not accounted by Newton’s second law. The results did follow
Newton’s second law of motion, because the acceleration of the object observed was
directly proportional to the net force acting on the object, and this observation is
justified by the positive slope of the best fit straight line. The accuracy of our results
was less than 4.15% in error. My partners and I double checked our data for each trial
and triple checked our calculations for acceleration and percent difference. In doing
so, we discovered that though we had tried to perform our trials as accurately as
possible, we made an error in our calculations for the measured acceleration in trial 1
and the percent difference in trial 2. We discovered after we both checked our
calculations for the third time. Possible reasons why an error occurred are: r we
imputed the wrong figures into the calculator, we didn't read the correct data on the
chart for a specific trial, or we computed the wrong numbers into the equation given
to solve for the acceleration (human error). Also, I think this experiment
demonstrated Newton's second law that the acceleration is directly proportional to the
force and inversely proportional to the mass. It was obvious as each 5 gram weight
was added to the heavier mass. The distance remained the same, the net mass
remained the same, the time became shorter, and the acceleration became faster. I
would not modify this lab. It was very useful in understanding this important law.