Physics 121

Laboratory Report
Experiment # 4
Section KL

Exp. Title: Kinematics – Variable Acceleration

Prepared by

Mohammad Sadav Imtiaz Alam

Lab Partners: Kara Kachulak, Megan Obst, Jasmine Thapaliya,

Aishka Prajapati, Samip Adhikari

Date of the Lab: Mar 22, 2023

Please use the Check List on the next page

Physics Lab Report: Check List The report you hand in should be clean and neat

In each of your lab reports please include the following sections in the order as listed:

• A copy of the supplied Title Page (Print this checklist on reverse or separate page)
Fill in all blanks. Remember to write your FIRST and LAST NAME

• If writing report by hand, use loose-leaf paper, 81/2 × 11 (write in pen on one side only, use a
millimeter rule graph paper)

• Purpose (Be specific)

What are you going to measure? Later, show that you did. Use simple language.

• Theory (A brief outline of the physics of the experiment) Place formulas in separate lines
Facts and formulas used in achieving the purpose. Write full sentences. Use [m], [kg], [s] only.

• Method (Explain fully, include the apparatus setup) Place equations in separate lines
Provide essential steps and ideas required to conduct the experiment. Specify equations or sketches
related to any of those steps.

• Tables (Show key data and intermediate results) Try not to break tables, Start on top of page.
Include the table title and column headings with VARABLE NAMES, SYMBOLS, UNCERTAINTIES,
and UNITS.

• Formulas, sample calculations (Place below each table) Highlight the values used.
For each column with data obtained from calculations show one example of a formula and values used
in calculations in a particular row. Provide units for all calculated results.

• Graphs (hand-drawn or excel) (Show Grid, Equation of straight lines, Smooth Curves)
Straight-line equation should use proper variable labels and units. Show slope calculations on graph
using points on a straight line, Show slope units. Include the graph title, scales and axes labels with
variable names, symbols and units. One large graph per page.

• Analysis of Results (Describe your results in full sentences)

Comment on your graphs. Show required calculations and results. Limit the number of decimals.

• Questions (Read each question carefully then answer) Show calculations

Answer each question in full sentence. Explain your reasons. Show values, SI units and calculations.

• Conclusion (Look at the Purpose paragraph)

Summarize what has been accomplished, quote numerical results, discuss accuracy.
Purpose:

This experiment investigates the motion of a car between two points along an air track over a metal bob

which pulls the spark tape through a spark gap as it falls. It explores the relationship between time, 𝑡,

and the position, 𝑥, velocity, 𝑣, and acceleration, 𝑎. The experiment aims to establish that acceleration

due to gravity is g, which is a constant.

Theory:

We know that a falling object is attracted towards the centre of the earth with a force AF determined by
𝐺𝑀
Newton’s universal law of Gravitation, 𝑔 = . Over the distance in the laboratory that the object falls
𝑅2

this force is essentially constant. As a result we can denote the force on the object of mass m as 𝐹 =

𝑚𝑔. And in this case, since the acceleration is constant we can use the formula 𝑣 = 𝑢 + 𝑎𝑡, where v =

velocity at time t, u = initial velocity, t = elapsed time.

Method:

The apparatus for this part of the experiment consists of a car held over a metal bob. The motion is

caused by the forces exerted by the metal bob which pulls the spark tape through a gap as it falls. The

tape’s motion along the track simulates conditions of motion without friction from the track. To

investigate the motion the spark tape record is analyzed.

First, a tape of 100 cm in length is taken and attached to a nail to the bench top. It is then attached to the

nail at one end and a thread through the spark gap attaching to the bob at the other end. Initially we

create a spark at the beginning of the tape to see how much the spark can wander. This diameter of the

spark is later on measured after the experiment is conducted using a ruler to reduce error and measure

uncertainty during velocity and acceleration measurements. After the initial wander of the spark is

recorded, we allow the bob to fall by cutting the tape. It creates sparks as it travels through.
The tape is then taken off from the track and the distance between the holes burned on the tape is
1
measured using a ruler with 0.1 cm uncertainty. The time between the sparks is fixed 20 s interval and

there is no uncertainty for the measured time. The data was then tabulated.

Measured Data:

The following table shows the data and calculations tabulated using excel sheet

Time Position Velocity Acceleration

t [s] per 1/20s x [cm] v [cm/s] a [cm/s2]
δx = ±0.3 cm δv = ±2.2 cm/s δa = ±2309.7 cm/s2
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
1.0 3.1 62.0 1240.0
2.0 8.7 112.0 1000.0
3.0 16.4 154.0 840.0
4.0 26.5 202.0 960.0
5.0 39.2 254.0 1040.0
6.0 54.5 306.0 1040.0
7.0 72.1 352.0 920.0
8.0 88.6 330.0 -440.0

Fig 4.1: Data table for position, instantaneous velocity and acceleration.

After this we plotted a graph for acceleration vs time elapsed

 Acceleration vs Time
4000.0

3000.0
Acceleration, a [cm/s2]

2000.0
y = 8x + 930.67

1000.0

0.0
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0

-1000.0

-2000.0
Time, t [s]

Fig 4.2 Graph of Acceleration vs Time

In the dataset, 𝛿𝑥 is calculated using the formula of 𝑧 = 𝑥 + 𝑦, which yields the error 𝛿𝑧 =

𝑠𝑞𝑟𝑡(𝛿𝑥 2 + 𝛿𝑟), where 𝑟 is the radius of the spark which gives ±0.3 𝑐𝑚. The uncertainty of the

𝑠𝑞𝑟𝑡((𝛿𝑥2 )2 +(𝛿𝑥0 )2 ) 𝑐𝑚
velocity is calculated using 𝛿𝑣 = 2 which yields ±2.2 . The uncertainty of
𝑠
20

𝑠𝑞𝑟𝑡((𝛿𝑣3 )2 +(𝛿𝑣1 )2 )
acceleration is calculated using 𝛿𝑎 = 2 which yields ±2309.7 𝑐𝑚/𝑠 2 .
20

Analysis:

It is clear from the graphs that the spark tape fell at a constant acceleration, as can be seen in Graph 4.2.

The equation of the graph using excel gives the best fit slope to be 8 𝑐𝑚/𝑠 3 and the y-intercept is

930.67 𝑐𝑚/𝑠 2 . Using the linest function in excel the min slope is 20.4 𝑐𝑚/𝑠 3 and the max slope is

0.03 𝑐𝑚/𝑠 3 .

Questions:

2𝑅δ𝑅 2
1. Using yellow pages, uncertainty formula for g comes down to 𝛿𝑔 = |𝑔|𝑠𝑞𝑟𝑡 (( ) ) since M
𝑅

and G are constants. Now using the formula, 𝛿𝑔 = ±19.62 𝑐𝑚/𝑠 2 . The uncertainty does affect

the value of my result measuring g as it will interfere with the data produced as a result, there

will be uncertainty and error bars in the measurement.

 2. Equation (4) was used to plot a graph and obtain a straight line graph. The slope is 8 𝑐𝑚/𝑠 3 and

intercept is 930.7 𝑐𝑚/𝑠 2 .

3. In order to obtain 𝑣0 from the graph, we need to integrate the equation of the slope which will

give the equation of the area of the graph, which is equivalent to the velocity. From that

8/20
equation we can obtain 𝑣0 . If we integrate, then ∫ 𝑎 𝑑𝑡 = ∫2/20 8𝑡 + 930.67 𝑑𝑡 => 𝑣 =

279.8 𝑐𝑚/𝑠.

1
4. 𝑣 at 𝑡 = 3 𝑠 is, 𝑣 = 12 𝑐𝑚/𝑠. Now displacement, 𝑠 = 0 ∗ 6 + 2 ∗ 4 ∗ 62 = 72 𝑐𝑚. Then

72
average velocity, 𝑣 = = 12 𝑐𝑚/𝑠. Hence average velocity calculated for the time interval 0
6

to 6 s is equivalent to v at 3 cm/s.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, we can say that the purpose of the experiment was to establish that acceleration due to

free fall, g, is a constant. As per the data measured and the outcome from the graph, we were not able to

obtain g, but we did get a constant acceleration. The outcome was not possible due to uncertainty. The

measurements taken were time and position, and the velocity and acceleration of the data were

calculated using these measured values. The reference of the measured quantity is 9.81 𝑐𝑚/𝑠 2. Now

the results are close to the reference value if not accurate, but it could have been closer to the reference.

This could have been obtained by measuring more data sets in the environment which would reduce the

uncertainty. Using a better measuring ruler with less uncertainty and a better spark machine.