1G10.10 - Uniform Acceleration due to Earth's Gravity - Air Track | Instructional Resources and Lecture Demonstrations - Department of Physics & Astronomy

Air track, pulley system on vertical stand, weights, string

Code Number: 1G10.10

Demo Title: Uniform Acceleration due to Earth's Gravity - Air Track

Condition: Good

Principle: Gravitational Acceleration is Constant

Area of Study: Mechanics

Equipment:

Photogate timers, Laptop and interface, Air track with spark generator, Two-pulley system on vertical stand, Weight hangers (5 to 50g), String, Car for air track (260 g), Paper tape for spark generator, Shock Absorber Towers, Rubber Bands.

Procedure:

Pulley alignment is critical to this demonstration. The lower pulley must be positioned over the center of the track and also at a height that the string connected to the air car and running through the pulleys is parallel to the track. Depending on the mass of the air car used, the weight hanger may have to be replaced by a 10 or 20 gram mass to overcome friction and show proper results. Use up to 4 photogate timers with the laptop and interface to gather data if desired.

Old Timing Method: When using with a spark generator care must be taken to see that all the insulators are in place. Caution against electrical shocks should be observed. The rubber band shock absorber must be used to insure that the string does not bounce off of the pulleys when it hits the end of the tracks.

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