Pre-Lab Information
Purpose Explore the effect of force and mass on the acceleration of an object.
Time Approximately 50 minutes
Question
How do force and mass affect the acceleration of an object?
Hypothesis #1 If the force applied to a cart increases, then the acceleration of the cart increases when the mass of the cart is held constant, because force and acceleration are directly proportional to each other according to Newton’s second law.
Hypothesis #2 If the mass of a cart increases, then the acceleration of the cart decreases when the force applied to the cart is held constant, because mass and acceleration are inversely proportional to each other according to Newton’s second law.
Variables for H1 Independent Variable: force applied to the cart Dependent Variable: acceleration of the cart Constant: mass of the cart
Variables for H2 Independent Variable: mass of the cart
Dependent Variable: acceleration of the cart
Constant: force applied to the cart
Summary This experiment is divided into two parts. For each part, you will use a simulation to measure the position and velocity of a cart as it accelerates along a frictionless surface. A fan on the cart supplies the force needed to move it along the track. For the first part of the experiment, you will examine how the force applied to the cart affects the acceleration of the cart by varying the fan speed on the cart. Varying the fan speed varies the force applied to the cart, causing the cart to accelerate at different rates. For the second part of the experiment, you will examine how the mass of the cart affects the acceleration of the cart by changing the mass of the cart, while keeping the fan speed the same.
Please note that this simulation uses the term “speed” instead of “velocity.” This is because the cart moves in only one direction. For the purposes of this lab, the terms speed and velocity are interchangeable.
Lab Procedure
Step 1: Open the simulation.
a) Be sure to follow all the directions provided in the lab guide as well as on screen during the virtual lab.
b) Open the “Force and Fan Carts” Gizmo, and watch the demo by clicking on the demo icon on the bottom left corner of the activity.
c) When the demo is complete, close it and return to the Experimental setup.
