Lab Report

Air Track

Divasjyoti Parashar

Date of Experiment: 17-09-19

Date of Submission: 01-10-19

In this experiment, we study motion in one-dimension and attempt to verify Newton’s Laws of Motion.

Apparatus Required
1. Air track
2. Blower
3. Vernier calliper
4. Two Vernier photo-gates and associated cables
5. Riders
6. Buffers and counter-weights
7. Steel springs
8. Pulleys
9. Masses

Major Calculations
1. Length Measurement of Prongs

In Part A and Part B of the experiment, we use an interrupter with two-prongs that we attach to the
rider for taking time measurements. The two prongs of the attachment are sensed by the photo-gates and
we get the instantaneous time measurement of when the prongs cross the photo-gates.
The two prongs are named A and B. The lengths of the prongs are measured using Vernier callipers.

Least Count of Vernier Calliper is 0.02 mm.

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For Prong A,

δXA = 10.11m

For Prong B,

δXB = 10.07m

2. Calculation of error in time

For calculating the error in time measurements taken by the photo-gates, we repeat an experiment mul-
tiple times with the same initial conditions. We release the rider with the same initial velocity multiple
times and check how the time measured varies in each case. We analyse the data and find the error in time
from that.

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Figure 1: The above table depicts the time taken by prong A to cross a photo-gate with the
same initial conditions.

We see that the time measurements are reliable up to the second digit after the decimal point.The third
digit fluctuates by 0.004.
Therefore, the error in time is
0.004
= ±0.002
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Part A
In this part, we attempt to verify Newton’s first law of motion.

Theory
Newton’s First Law states that an object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless
acted upon by an external force. It may be seen as a statement about inertia, that objects will remain in
their state of motion unless a force acts to change the motion. Hence, this law is also called the ‘law of
inertia’. This means that in the absence of frictional forces, the velocity of an object will remain constant
with the passage of time. In this experiment, we use the ‘air track’ as a low-friction environment for our
kinematics experiment.

Procedure
Firstly, we level the air track using a spirit level and observing the motion of the rider when it is not given
any initial force. We adjust the legs of the air track till the rider does not show any preference for the right
or left end of the track.
We set up metal springs at both ends of the air track. We then place the rider at one end, gently push it
against the metal spring and release it. The rider starts moving with an initial velocity on the low-friction
air track. Using the Vernier photo-gates at two different points (X and Y) along the path, we measure the
velocity of the rider at both points.
We repeat the experiment by giving the rider different initial velocities. We do it by pushing it gently against
the metal spring by different distances and releasing it.

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Figure 2: The above diagram depicts the experimental set-up for an air-track experiment with
riders and photo-gates.

Error Analysis
From Table 1 and 2 provided below for the calculation of length using Vernier Callipers, we see that the
difference between the highest and lowest value of length calculated is 0.06mm.

Therefore, error in length calculation using the vernier calipers is ±0.03mm

Error in time measurement was found to be ±0.002s.

Error in velocity is
r
δv δx 2 δt
= ( ) + ( )2
v x t
r
δx δt
=> δv = v ∗ ( )2 + ( )2
x t

We ignore any other error which might result due to frictional forces in the air track as that cannot be
quantitatively measured.

Data Table
1. Velocity of prongs A and B at position X and Y:

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Conclusion
From the above data, we can see the percentage difference in velocities in position X and Y of the same
object. The observed difference falls within the range of our experimental error which is primarily due to
error in time measurement, length measurement and the presence of some level of friction in the air track.
Since the velocity in both the positions remain the same, we can conclude that the body maintains its state
of uniform motion in the absence of any external force like friction. Hence, Newton’s first law of motion is
verified.

Part B
In this part, we attempt to verify Newton’s second law of motion.

Theory
Newton’s second law of motion states that the rate of change of momentum of a body is directly proportional
to the force applied on the body and acts in the direction of the applied force. When the mass of the body
remains constant, the same law can be expressed as F = ma. This implies that the product of the mass and
the acceleration produced in the mass equals the external force applied to the mass.
In the experiment, the applied force is in the form of a mass which is attached to the rider across a pulley
and is dropped vertically to the ground. The force due to gravity acting on the dropped mass (F = mg) is

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transferred to the rider using a string and that causes acceleration in the rider.

Procedure
We first level the air track as before. We then replace one of the metal springs with a pulley and pass a long
string across the pulley. One end of the string is connected to the rider while the other end is connected to
a slotted mass.
With the rider at one end of the air track, the slotted mass is dropped from the other end where the pulley
is attached. The tension in the string causes acceleration in the rider. The change in velocity of the rider is
measured at two positions (X and Y) along the air track.
We use the recorded data to calculate acceleration due to gravity.

Figure 3: The above free body diagrams are of the masses involved in Part B of the experiment.
The diagram shows the forces acting on mass ’m’ and ’M’

Analysis
Let the mass of the rider be denoted as ‘M’ and the slotted mass be denoted as ‘m’.
M = 407.5 g
Using Newton’s second law of motion,
ma = mg–T
Ma = T
ma = mg–M a

=> M a = m ∗ (g–a)
=> a ∗ (m + M ) = mg
=> g = a ∗ ( m+M
m )
=> g = a ∗ (1 + M
m)

1 M 1 1
=> =( )∗( )+
a g m g

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Error Analysis
The mass of the rider ’M’ and the slotted masses ’m’ were measured using a scale with least count 0.1g.
Therefore, error in mass (m and M) is taken as δm = ±0.1g
We have already found the error in time to be ±0.002s.

Error in velocity is r
δx 2 δt
=> δv = v ∗ ( ) + ( )2
x t

Using the above formula, we find the error in the velocity of the rider at position X and Y.
The error of the difference in velocity δ(vx − vy ) is
q
(vx − vy ) ∗ (δvx )2 + (δvy )2

Hence, the error in acceleration is

s
δ(vx − vy ) 2 δt
δa = a ∗ ( ) + ( )2
(vx − vy ) t

However, the graph is plotted for 1/a vs 1/m. The error for 1/a is

1 1 δa
δ( ) = ( ) ∗ (
a a a

Similarly, the error is found for 1/m.

1 1 δm
δ( )=( )∗(
m m m

The error bars have been added accordingly in the graph.

We ignore any other error which might result due to frictional forces in the air track as that cannot be
quantitatively measured.

Data Table

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Graph
The above graph is plotted for (1/m) vs (1/a). The graph is linear with a slope of 43.259 and y-intercept of
0.0828.
We have seen that
1 M 1 1
=> = ( ) ∗ ( ) +
a g m g
M
Comparing the above equation to that of a straight line y = mx + c, we see that the slope of the graph is g
and the intercept is g1 .

M
Therefore, g = 43.259 where M = 407.5
g = 9.42m/s2

Using the LINEST function in MS Excel, we find the error in the slope to be 0.1866 and the error in
the intercept to be 0.00654.

Conclusion
The value of acceleration due to gravity (g) found from the graph is 9.42 m/s2 .
Since the deviation in the calculated value of g (9.4m/s2 ) from the known value of g (9.8m/s2 ) falls within the
range of our experimental error, we can conclude that Newton’s second law of motion has been verified.

Part C
In this part, we attempt to verify Newton’s third law of motion.

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Theory
Newton’s third law of motion states that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Moreover, the
action and reaction act on two different bodies and act along the line joining the two bodies.
When two bodies moving at constant velocities (v1 and v2 ) collide, Newton’s third law of motion states that
the force on the first due to the second (F12 ) is equal and opposite to the force on the second due to the first
(F21 ).

F12 = −F21

If we consider that the forces act over a small time interval ∆ t, we can state that the impulse experienced
by the two bodies are also equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.

F12 ∆t = −F21 ∆t

v bef ore = v, v af ter = v 0

m1 ∆v1 = −m2 ∆v2
m1 (v1bef ore –v1af ter ) = −m2(v2bef ore –v2af ter )
m1 v1 + m2 v2 = m1 v10 + m2 v20

Thus, momentum is transferred from one object to another. Overall, the momentum remains conserved.

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Types of Collisions
1. Perfectly elastic: In a perfectly elastic collision, the colliding bodies move away with different velocities
and remain distinct. In this case, both momentum and kinetic energy is conserved.

m1 v1 + m2 v2 = m1 v10 + m2 v20
1 1 1 1
m1 v12 + m2 v22 = m1 v102 + m2 v202
2 2 2 2

2. Perfectly inelastic: In a perfectly inelastic collision, the colliding bodies stick together and move to-
gether at the same velocity after collision. In this case, momentum is conserved but kinetic energy is
not conserved.

m1 v1 + m2 v2 = (m1 + m2 )V
1 1 1
m1 v12 + m2 v22 6= (m1 + m2 )V 2
2 2 2

Error Analysis
The mass of the riders (m1 and m2 ) were measured using a scale with least count 0.1g. Therefore,
error in mass is taken as δm = ±0.1g
We have already found the error in time to be ±0.002s.

Error in velocity is s 2  2
δx δt
=> δv = v ∗ +
x t

The error in momentum (p = m ∗ v),

s 2  2
δm δv
δp = mv ∗ ( +
m v

Kinetic Energy is given by K.E. = 12 mv 2

Let z = v 2

δv
δz = z ∗ 2 ∗
v
δz = 2vδv
δmv 2 = δ(mz)
s 2  2
δm δz
δmz = mz ∗ +
m z
KE = 0.5 ∗ mz
δKE = 0.5 ∗ δ(mz)
s 2  2
δm δz
δKE = 0.5 ∗ mz ∗ ( +
m z

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 v !2
u δm 2
u
δv
v2 ∗ 2 ∗ v
δKE = KE ∗ t +
m v2

s 2  2
δm δv
δKE = KE ∗ +2∗
m v

A. Elastic Collision
Procedure
Firstly, we level the air track as before. We then attach two buffers (and counterweights) to the two
riders to simulate elastic collision. We use magnetic buffers for this purpose. Instead of the two-prong
attachment, we now add a long card as the interrupter on both riders.
We put the steel springs back at both ends of the air track. We then let both riders move towards each
other with some initial velocities so that they collide. The magnetic buffers ensure a perfectly elastic
collision. We place the photo-gates in such a manner that both the initial and final velocities of both
the riders are determined.

Measurements
We use the weighing scale to measure the mass of the riders with the attached buffers, counterweights
and interrupters.
m1 = 281.4g
m2 = 448.6g

The lengths of the interrupter cards are measured using a metre scale.

x1 = 22.1cm

x2 = 21.1cm

Data Table
Conclusion
From table 6, we see that the initial and final momentum are not equal. However, this does not imply
that momentum is not conserved. The difference in initial and final momentum is not very significant
(compared to the inelastic collision) and the difference arises due to the various errors involved while
carrying out the experiment. The errors primarily arise due to error in collecting length, time and
mass (as shown in the error analysis).
Similarly, for the kinetic energy, the difference in initial and final values is not very significant (compared
to that in inelastic collision). The difference arises due to errors in measuring time,length and mass.
Moreover, energy is also lost in overcoming the friction in the air track. However, kinetic energy is also
always conserved in elastic collision.

B. Inelastic Collision
Procedure
Firstly, we level the air track as before. We then attach two buffers (and counterweights) to the two
riders to simulate inelastic collision. We use Velcro buffers for this purpose. The Velcro buffers ensure
that the riders stick together after collision and the collision is inelastic.
We let both riders move towards each other with some initial velocities so that they collide. After the

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inelastic collision, the two riders stick together and move with the same final velocity. We place the
photo-gates in such a manner that both the initial and final velocities of both the riders are determined.

Measurements
We use the weighing scale to measure the mass of the riders with the attached buffers, counterweights
and interrupters.
m1 = 226.3g
m2 = 394.5g

The lengths of the interrupter cards are measured using a metre scale.

x1 = 22.1cm

x2 = 21.1cm

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Data Table

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Conclusion
From table 8 it is evident that in inelastic collision, there is significant loss of kinetic energy. The loss
in kinetic energy is due to the fact that during collision, energy is lost as sound or heat energy. Energy
is also lost in overcoming friction on the air track.
However, we must note that despite the loss in kinetic energy, total energy of the system, as well as
momentum is conserved.

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