Lab A6: The Second Law

9/19/13
GOAL: To investigate the relationship between net force, acceleration, and system mass.

INTRODUCTION: A glider of mass mG on a level air track is attached (via recording tape) to a
mass mH that hangs over the end of the air track. When the air is turned on, the tape slides with
minimal friction over the air pulley; the hanging weight therefore accelerates the entire system
(hanging mass + glider mass). The acceleration of the system will be measured with the picket
fence method used in lab A5. The picket fence is taped to the top of the glider, and a photogate is
positioned in the path of the picket fence.

glider with
recording photogate picket fence
tape
air
pulley mG
air
source
air track

hanging lab table

mass
(m H)

Some lab groups will vary the total mass of the system (m H + mG) while keeping the accelerating
force (the weight of the hanging mass, mHg) constant.
The other lab groups will vary the accelerating force, while keeping the total mass of the system
constant.
Each group will plot the dependent variable (acceleration) vs. the independent variable (the
quantity that was varied) in order to determine the type of relationship between the variables.

PRELAB: Do the following in your lab book before coming to lab. (Don’t forget to show your work)
1) What mathematical relationship (e.g., direct, inverse, quadratic, ...) should there be between
the acceleration of the system and the net accelerating force (m Hg)?
2) What mathematical relationship (e.g., direct, inverse, quadratic, ...) should there be between
the acceleration of the system and the total mass (m H + mG) of the system?
3) Using the answer to the two questions above, write a formula for the acceleration of the system
in terms of mH, mG, and g. Examine your formula and explain why you think it makes sense.
4) Prepare your data table in your lab journal as directed. (See Method section below.)

RECORDING AND PRESENTATION OF DATA: Before collecting data, spread your data table
fully across 2 facing pages of the lab book, with the following clearly-labeled columns:
1) mass that provides the accelerating force (i.e., the hanging mass); use correct SI units!
2) what's included in the system mass (e.g., hanging mass + glider mass + any additional masses)
3) the measured value of the acceleration and its uncertainty for each trial.
4) average acceleration (of the three trials to be done after data collection completed).
GENERAL DATA COLLECTION METHOD:
 The basics: You will take 3 separate measurements/trials of acceleration for each value of
your independent variable.
 Software and graph interpretation: The general software and the instructions for its use
are the same as for lab A5. Therefore bring your lab handout for A5 with you to this lab.
 The track and photogate: The air track should be level (check this!). Position the
photogate so that all pickets will pass unobstructed through the gate before the hanging mass
strikes anything.
 Safety and technique: Put a box containing styrofoam on the floor below the hanging
mass. For each run, stop the glider before it hits the end of the air track!
 The masses….

If your independent variable is the net force, then keep the total mass constant
throughout the entire experiment. Your initial hanging mass is a 0.020-kg mass and you
must have 4 additional 0.020-kg masses evenly distributed on the sides of the glider. After an
initial run of 3 trials with the single 0.020-kg hanging mass, remove 0.020 kg from the glider and
add it to the hanging mass. Again make 3 measurements of the acceleration. Repeat this
process (moving 0.020 kg from the glider to the hanging mass and measuring the acceleration
3 times) three more times (i.e., you will make a total of 15 measurements). For all trials be sure
the masses remaining on the glider are uniformly distributed (so that the glider is balanced—
why is this important?). At some point, measure the mass of the glider, including the picket
fence but with no added masses, and record it in your Data section.

If your independent variable is the system mass, keep the 0.100 kg hanging mass
constant throughout the entire experiment. For your first data collection of 3 trials, there are
no additional masses attached to the glider. After the initial run of 3 trials, tape 0.050 kg to the
glider on the center of one side of the glider. Again make 3 measurements of the acceleration.
Repeat this process (taping an additional 0.050 kg to the glider and measuring the acceleration
3 times) three more times (i.e., you will make a total of 15 measurements). Distribute the taped
masses uniformly (so that the glider remains balanced—why is this important?) during each
new run. At some point, measure the mass of the glider, including the picket fence but with no
added masses, and record it in your Data section.
ANALYSIS:
a) Using your calculator or Logger Pro, graph your data with your dependent variable (the
average acceleration) on the vertical axis. Choose your independent variable so that there will
be a linear relationship between your independent and dependent variables.
(Hint: think about your Prelab equation!) Make sure that everything is in SI units.

b) Perform the appropriate fit to your data. Draw or tape your graph (including fit) on a new left
page of your lab book. Use the right page to do parts c and d below.

c) Write down the math equation describing the fit and then the appropriate physics equation
(again, think Prelab!) that matches. Make an appropriate matching table for your two equations.
As always, column 3 should contain numerical values with units for the slope and intercept.

d) Based on your matching table, what values would you expect for the slope and y-intercept of
your fit ? Put these values into a fourth column of your data table. Percent differences between
the graphical and expected values for the slope and intercept should go in a fifth column. If your
expected value for any quantity is zero, you do not need to calculate the percent difference for
that quantity.
CONCLUSION