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.

References:

  • Marciano Santamaria Lezcano, Evgeni Svenk Cruz de Garcia, Lucio Strazzabosco Dorneles, "Kinematics in One Dimension-A Smartphone Approach", TPT, Vol. 61, #7, Oct. 2023, p. 594.
  • Zhigi Lin, Yuchan Xie, Chaoshi Tu, "Acceleration Research Based on Arduino Motion", TPT, Vol. 61, #1, Jan. 2023, p. 62.
  • Robert Andreas Austin, "Discovering Newton's Second Law of Motion in the Classroom", TPT, Vol. 59, #6, Sept. 2021, p. 428.
  • Vincent P. Coletta, Josh Bernardin, Daniel Pascoe, and Anatol Hoemke, "Feeling Newton’s Second Law", TPT, Vol. 57, #2, Feb. 2019, p. 88. 
  • Ole Anton Haugland, "Newton’s Second Law to Go", TPT, Vol. 57, #2, Feb. 2019, p. 86.
  • John Wolbeck, "Instantaneous Velocity Using Photogate Timers", TPT, Vol. 48, #4, Apr 2010, p. 262.
  • Satinder S. Sidhu, "Pristinely Pure Law in the Lab", TPT, Vol. 32, #5, May 1994, p. 282.
  • C. Gregory Hood, "Teaching Newton's Second Law - Another Viewpoint", TPT, Vol. 30, #6, Sept. 1992, p. 358.
  • Hassan F. Zandy, "Summing Not Necessary", TPT, Vol. 29, #9, Dec. 1991, p. 550. 
  • Robert C. Fleck, Jr., "Geometric Kinematics: The Method of Nicole Oresme", TPT, Vol. 29, #6, June 1991, p. 410.
  • Douglas A. Kurtze, "Teaching Newton's Second Law - A Better Way", TPT, Vol. 29, #6, June 1991, p. 350.
  • Robert J. Sciamanda, "Non-Uniform Acceleration Revisited", TPT, Vol. 29, #5, May 1991, p. 263.
  • J. Richard Mowat, "Mowat Replies", TPT, Vol. 29, #5, May 1991, p. 263.
  • J. Richard Mowat, "Analysis of a Proposed Student Laboratory to Study Non-Uniform Acceleration", TPT, Vol. 29, #1, Jan. 1991, p. 31.
  • Janie Edmonds, "Single-Frames Advance Labs", TPT, Vol. 27, #8, Nov. 1989, p. 625.
  • Brian W. Holmes, "Dialogue Concerning the Stimpmeter", TPT, Vol. 24, #7, p.  401, Oct. 1986, p. 401.
  • John E. Beach, "Acceleration on an Incline", TPT, Vol. 27, #6, Sept. 1989, p. 466.
  • Earl Zwicker, "DOING PHYSICS", TPT, Vol. 24, #6, p. 356, Sept. 1986, p. 356.
  • John S. Zetts, "Constant Deceleration Problems: Rediscovering One Equals Two Minus One", TPT, Vol. 22, #3, Mar. 1984, p. 170.
  • V.V. Raman, "An Impulsive Reply", TPT, Vol. 10, #6, Sept. 1972, p. 301.
  • Mario Iona, "What Was Newton's Motive?", TPT, Vol. 10, #6, Sept. 1972, p. 300.
  • V. V. Raman, "The Second Law of Motion and Newton's Equations", TPT, Vol. 10, #3, Mar. 1972, p.136.
  • Harvey Pollack, "Uniformly Accelerated Motion", TPT, Vol. 4, #6, Sept. 1966, p. 283.
  • "Modified Atwood Machine", TPT, Vol. 3, #7, Oct. 1965, p. 339.
  • "Modified Atwood Machine", TPT, Vol. 3, #5, May 1965, p. 234.
  • F.E. Domann, "An Improved Newton's Second Law Experiment", AJP, Vol. 50, #2, Feb. 1982, p. 185.
  • Mb-11, 13, Md-2: Freier and Anderson, A Demonstration Handbook for Physics.
  • M-108, "Ball on Incline", DICK and RAE Physics Demo Notebook.
  • M-108, Richard Manliffe Sutton, Demonstration Experiments in Physics.
  • Borislaw Bilash II and David Maiullo, "Change Your Slope", A Demo a Day: A Year of Physics Demonstrations, p. 20.
1G10.10 - Uniform Acceleration Due to Earth's Gravity - 20g, 50g, 100g
1G10.10 - Dr James Wetzel, PHYS 1611 -Spring Gun, Air Track an Carts - Second Law Demo
1G10.10 - University of Maryland QOTW Question #119
1G10.10 - University of Maryland QOTW Answer #119
1G10.10 - University of Maryland QOTW #122
1G10.10 - University of Maryland QOTW Question #123

1G10.10 - University of Maryland QOTW Answer #123 Part 1
1G10.10 - University of Maryland QOTW Answer #123 Part 2
1G10.10 - University of Maryland QOTW Question #135
1G10.10 - University of Maryland QOTW Answer #135 Part 1
1G10.10 - University of Maryland QOTW Answer #135 Part 2