investigating motion

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  • Created by: tia5sos
  • Created on: 15-10-20 16:05
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  • investigating motion
    • you can investigate the motion of a trolley on a ramp
      • 1. Set up your apparatus as shown in the diagram, and mark a line on the ramp just before the first light gate - this is to make sure the trolley starts from the same point each time.
      • 2. measure the distances between light gates 1 and 2, and 2 and 3.
      • 3. hold the trolley still at the start line, and then let go of it so that it starts to roll down the slope.
      • 4. as it rolls down the ramp it will accelerate. when it reaches the runaway, it will travel at a constant speed.
      • 5. each light gate will record the time when the trolley passes through it.
      • 6. The time it takes to travel between gates 1 and 2 can be used to find the average speed on the ramp, and between gates 2 and 3 gives the speed on the runway ( using speed = distance divided by time )
      • 7. the acceleration of the trolley on the ramp can be found using acceleration = change in speed divided by time, with the following values:
        • - the initial speed of the trolley (=0 m/s)
        • - the final speed of the trolley, which equals the speed of the trolley on the runway.
        • - the time it takes the trolley to travel between light gates 1 and 2.
      • the trolleys speed on the ramp and its final speed on the runway will increase when the angle of the ramp increases, or the amount of friction between the ramp and the trolley decreases.
        • increasing the distance between the bottom of the ramp and where the trolley is released will also increase the final speed of the trolley.
    • you can use different equipment to measure distance and time
      • 1. if possible, your measuring instrument should always be longer than the distance you're measuring with it - e.g. you shouldn't use a 30cm ruler to measure something that's 45 cm long.
      • 2. for experiments in the lab, the distances involved will generally be less than a meter, so you'll be able to measure them with a ruler or a meter stick.
      • 3. if you're investigating e.g. how fast someone walks, you'll want to measure their speed over many meters, so you'll need a long tape measure, or a rolling tape measure (clicky wheel thing).
      • 4. to measure time intervals longer than about e.g. 5 seconds, you can use a stopwatch.
      • 5. to measure short intervals, it is best to use e.g. light gates connected to a computer.
        • using a stopwatch involves human error, due to, for example, reaction times.
          • this is more of a problem the shorter the interval you're timing, as the reaction time makes up a larger proportion of the interval.

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