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AP Physics Lab 4

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Javier Cerrud
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10 views

AP Physics Lab 4

Uploaded by

Javier Cerrud
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Balboa Academy

AP Physics

Mr. Chan

Lab Report 4: Mass and Weight Lab

November 19, 2024

Susana Botero, Sofia Ruiz, and Javier Cerrud


Introduction:

In this lab, we were tasked with developing a procedure that determined the
relationship between an object’s mass and its weight. With the materials
available, we were able to create an experiment that measured both the
weight and mass of objects, with the purpose of determining if there is a
relationship between these two.

Materials:

- String
- 10 washers
- Force sensor
- Phone (sensor app: GraphicalGW)
- Lab support stand
- iPad (for taking notes)
- Triple beam balance

Procedure and Diagram:

To set up our experiment, we first attached the hook accessory to the force
sensor so we could hang our washers from it. To have a place to hang it
from, we set up the support stand and the sensor, as shown in the diagram
below.

Then, one of us measured the mass of each washer one by one using the
triple beam balance while the other recorded the data. After measuring the
mass, we attached the washers to a string, like a necklace, and hung it from
the hook of the sensor.

After connecting the sensor to our phone through the application, we


observed the data being recorded by the sensor and recorded it on our data
table. This process was repeated after adding the new washers, one by one,
to the string, until we reached 10 washers hanging from the hook.
Data Tables:

The data tables below show the information that we gathered using our
procedure:

Washer Mass (g) Mass (kg)


1 2.9 0.0029
2 3.3 0.0033
3 3.5 0.0035
4 2.5 0.0025
5 3.5 0.0035
6 2.6 0.0026
7 2.6 0.0026
8 2.55 0.00255
9 2.55 0.00255
10 2.5 0.0025

Washers Mass(es) kg
0 0
1 0.0029
1 and 2 0.0062
1,2,3 0.0159
1,2,3,4 0.0184
1,2,3,4,5 0.0219
1,2,3,4,5,6 0.0245
1,2,3,4,5,6,7 0.0271
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 0.02965
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 0.0322
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 0.0347

Bundle Weight (N)


0 0
B1 0.045
B1-2 0.075
B1-3 0.115
B1-4 0.14
B1-5 0.17
B1-6 0.20
B1-7 0.23
B1-8 0.25
B1-9 0.28
B1-10 0.305

Graphs:

X-axis: Mass (kg)

Y-axis: Weight (N)

Using the values we got for mass and weight; we calculated our equation for
linear regression.

Equation for linear regression: y = (8.81) x – 0.001

Coefficient of correlation: 0.98


Conclusion:

Our goal was to determine the relationship between an object’s mass and its
weight. After conducting our experiment and graphing our data, we can
conclude that there is a linear relationship between these two variables. This
means that they are directly proportional to each other. This relationship was
also confirmed by the linear regression. The slope of our line turned out to be
8.81 m/s^2, which is close to the expected value for the acceleration caused
by Earth’s gravity. Furthermore, our coefficient of correlation was 0.98,
which shows a close relationship within the variables, and a linear
relationship. This result supports the idea that weight increases linearly with
mass under constant gravitational acceleration.

Error Analysis:

After making our conclusions and calculations, we decided to check our


accuracy and
precision. We used the percentage error
formula and calculated a 10.2% error. This
may have been due to various factors, both
systematic and random. For instance, when
setting up the triple beam balance scale, we
relied on our vision and opinions to decide
on the masses of each washer. This is a
random error, since our results are not consistent and vary depending on our
own opinions. In addition, when using the force sensor, we could have made
a mistake calibrating the device, which could have led to errors when
determining the weight of the washers. This is a systematic error since it
provides a consistent error due to a predictable procedure. Overall, our lab
was not completely accurate, yet our measurements were mostly precise
and not so far from the expected value. However, we could have improved
our accuracy by using more accurate tools for measuring mass, and being
more careful when recording our data.

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