Pre-Lab Questions:
Name:_____________________________________
Date:______________
Mod:______________
1.
Describe acceleration in your own words.
2.
What are the SI Units for Acceleration?
3.
Describe what you think causes an acceleration.
4.
Explain how it is possible to find the acceleration from a displacement vs. time graph.
5.
During the experiment, what switch must the motion sensor be placed on?
6.
During the experiment, how many pullback lengths are there and what are the distances?
7.
During the experiment, what graphs need to be printed out? Which graphs need a linear fit line?
Purpose:
To determine the position, velocity and acceleration of a moving object using a motion sensor and the computer software Data Studio.
Materials:
1.2m Metal Dynamic Track
Motion Sensor
Elastic Bumper (2 Brackets and 1 Small Elastic Cord)
PAScar
Adjustable End Stop
Adjustable Track Feet (2)
Pullback Car
Meter Stick
Data Studio Software w/ Interface Box
Definitions:
Acceleration
Procedure:
1.
Insert the adjustable track feet to the underside of the 1.2m metal dynamic track, making sure that the feet are in a secure location on the lab table. Level the track using the feet adjustments on the underside of the track.
2.
Place the adjustable end stop on the metal track at the 2cm location. Place the 2 brackets of the elastic bumper at the 116cm location and insert the small elastic cord connecting the two brackets.
3.
Attach the motion sensor to the end of the track at the 120cm end.
4.
Make sure the interface box is plugged in and turned on. A green light should appear on the box if it is turned on.
Accelerated Motion Lab
Methacton High School Physics Department
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5.
Plug the motion sensor into the stereo plug adaptors. The yellow goes to number 1 and the black goes to number 2. Make sure the motion sensor is switched to the cart setting located at the top of the sensor. Make sure the Motion sensor is turned to measure horizontal motion.
6.
Open Data Studio by double clicking the icon on the computer’s desktop screen.
7.
Click “Create Experiment.” At this point if a picture of the interface box does not appear, go to the top of the screen and select Experiment – Change Interface and select Science Workshop
500. Press ok.
8.
Once the interface box appears on the screen, click the far left yellow circle which will open a drop down box – Select Motion Sensor and click OK.
9.
Make sure that the Position, Velocity and Acceleration measurements are check on the screen and make sure that the sample rate is set to 10 hz.
10.
Double click the graph display in the lower left corner of the screen and a position vs. time graph should appear on the screen. Repeat the step to insert a velocity vs. time and acceleration vs. time graph on the screen.
11.
Lay the meter stick flat on the table. Take the pullback car and pull it back 25cm making sure that the wheels do not start to rotate after reaching the 25cm pullback location. Place the pullback car on the track so that it touches the adjustable end stop on the tack.
Accelerated Motion Lab
Methacton High School Physics Department
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12.
Place the PAScar in front of the pullback car, making sure that the Velcro side of the car is touching the pullback car.
13.
Click the start button on the computer using the mouse. Release the pullback car. This will cause the PAScar to start moving down the track. Once it hits the elastic bumper press the stop button .
14.
If the wheels on the pullback car begin to slip or the pullback car falls off the track, delete the data that was collected and repeat steps #11 through #13.
15.
Highlight the data points that should be removed by clicking and dragging the mouse over them.
Once they are highlighted, just press the “Delete” button on the keyboard.
16.
Press the button that looks like graph to fit the entire screen. located at the top left side of the graph in order for the
17.
On the velocity vs. time graph, highlight the section of the graph where the motion of the
PAScar can be found. Then select Fit – Linear Fit from the graph options. This will place a trend line on the graph and give the slope, y-interecept, correlations and equation of the line. On the acceleration vs. time graph, highlight the section of the graph where the motion of the PAScar can be found and insert a trend line.
18.
Print all three graphs making sure that the velocity vs. time and acceleration vs. time graphs have the trend lines on the graphs with values. This can be done by making all three graphs fit equally on the data studio screen and then using the print screen button located near the top right side of the key board. Paste the picture into Microsoft Word and crop the image to give it a clean look. Place the members in the group names at the top of the document and print copies for every member in the group.
19.
Repeat steps #11 through #18 for pull back distances of 40cm, 55cm and 70cm (clicking noise in pull back car can be heard). Print all three graphs for each of the pullback lengths.
Post-Lab Questions:
1.
How did the pullback length of the pullback car affect the motion of the PAScar?
2.
What does the slope on the velocity vs. time graph represent? Explain why and use units for the independent and dependent variables as evidence.
3.
What does the y-intercept and slope on the acceleration vs. time graph represent?
4.
What similarities occur between the velocity vs. time and acceleration vs. time graphs when looking at the values given for the linear fit line?
Accelerated Motion Lab
Methacton High School Physics Department
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