Pulley (Single), String, Masses, Set of Masses, and vertical stand
Pulley (single), string, masses, set of masses, and vertical stand

 

Code Number: 1G10.40

Demo Title: Atwood's Machine

Condition: Good

Principle: Frictional Drag of Pulley and Cord

Area of Study: Mechanics 

Equipment: 

Pulleys (Single and Double Pulley unit), String, Masses (2 Each) (100, 500, 1000 Grams), Set of Masses (10 to 1000 Grams), and Vertical stand.

Procedure: 

Assemble as shown.  With 1 Kg hanging from each side, it should only take a 10 g mass placed onto the top of one of the masses to create and acceleration.

References:

  • Arturo Carlos Marti, Martin Monteiro, Cecilia Stari, "The Circular Atwood Machine", TPT, Vol. 62, #2, Feb. 2024, p. 150.
  • Nuno M. Campos, Sergio R. Domingos, Pedro Silva, Manuela Ramos Silva, "Tension On and Off in Atwood's Machine:, The Advantage of Video Analysis", TPT, Vol. 62, #1, Jan. 2024, p. 32.
  • Abdallah El Idrissi, Dominic Calabrese, and Tyler Hickox, "Dynamics of a Spool-Block Atwood System", TPT, Vol. 58, #3, Mar. 2020, p. 173. 
  • Mariusz Tarnopolski, "On Atwood's Machine with a Nonzero Mass String", TPT, Vol. 53, #8, Nov. 2015, p. 494.
  • Martín Monteiro, Cecilia Stari, Cecilia Cabeza, and Arturo C. Marti, "The Atwood Machine Revisited Using Smartphones", TPT, Vol. 53, #6, Sept. 2015, p. 373.
  • Joshua Gates, "Experimentally Building a Qualitative Understanding of Newton's Second Law", TPT, Vol. 52, #9, Dec. 2014, p. 542.
  • Eric C. Martell and Verda Beth Martell, "The Effect of Friction in Pulleys on the Tension in Cables and Strings", TPT, Vol. 51, #2, Feb. 2013, p. 98.
  • Paul Beeken, "Atwood's Heavy Chain", TPT, Vol. 49, #8, Nov. 2011, p. 470.
  • David Byrd, Gary White, "Alternative Theoretical Method of Motion fo a Sand-Filled Funnel Experiment, TPT, Vol. 39, # 8, Nov. 2001, p. 464.
  • Gordon O. Johnson, "Making Atwood's Machine 'Work'", TPT, Vol. 39, #3, Mar. 2001, p. 154.
  • Peter Sullivan, Anna McLoon, "Motion of a Sand-Filled Funnel: An Experiment and Model, TPT, Vol. 38, # 8, Nov. 2000, p. 500.
  • Joseph O. West, "Correction: 'The Atwood Machine: Two Special Cases'", TPT, Vol. 37, #5, May 1999, p. 262.
  • Joseph O. West and Barry N. Weliver, "The Atwood Machine: Two Special Cases", TPT, Vol. 37, #2, Feb. 1999, p. 83.
  • Michael C. LoPresto, "Another Look at Atwood's Machine", TPT, Vol. 37, #2, Feb. 1999, p. 82.
  • Raymond E. Benenson, "Weighting an Accelerating Kilogram-Mass with a Spring Scale", TPT, Vol. 32, #5, May 1994, p. 284.
  • James N. Boyd, "Power and Efficiency", TPT, Vol. 29, #7, Oct. 1991, p. 457.
  • Albert Bartlett, "Calculate the Tension in the Rope", TPT, Vol. 27, #5, May 1989, p. 416.
  • J. Sherfinski, "Acceleration from The Energy Function Derivative", TPT, Vol. 26, #4, Apr. 1988, p. 228.
  • Walter Connolly, "Atwood's Machine Using Moment of Inertia Pulley", TPT, Vol. 25, #8, Nov. 1987, p. 514.
  • James N. Boyd, "A Variable Acceleration", TPT, Vol. 23, #5, May 1985, p. 292.
  • E. Scott Barr, "More on Atwood", TPT, Vol. 23, #4, Apr. 1985, p. 198.
  • Thomas B. Greenslade Jr., "Atwood's Machine", TPT, Vol. 23, #1, Jan. 1985, p. 24.
  • Robert Weinstock, "Letters: Wrong Address", TPT, Vol. 12, #7, Oct. 1974, p. 388.
  • Jon Ogborn, "Letters: Origin of the Atwood Machine", TPT, Vol. 12, #4, Apr. 1974, p. 247.
  • J. J. White and L. A. Pace, "Notes: The Atwood Machine: A Fun Problem for Beginners", TPT, Vol 11, #9, Dec. 1973, p. 539.
  • José Flores, Guillermo Solovey, and Salvador Gil, "Flow of Sand and a Variable Mass Atwood Machine", AJP, Vol. 71, #7, July 2003, p. 715.
  • Thomas B. Greenslade Jr., "'Atwood's' Oscillator", AJP, Vol. 56, #12, Dec. 1988, p. 1151.
  • N. Tufillaro, A. Nunes, and J. Casasayas, "Unbounded Orbits of a Swinging Atwood's Machine", AJP, Vol. 56, #12, Dec. 1988, p. 1117.
  • A. N. Chaba, "Analytical Approximations to n!", AJP, Vol. 55, #8, Aug. 1987, p. 754.
  • Michael Svonavec, "Accelerated Motion with a Variable Weight", AJP, Vol. 55, #8, Aug. 1987, p. 753.
  • Ronald Newburgh, Joseph Peidle, and Wolfgang Rueckner, "When Equal Masses Don't Balance", Physics Education, Vol. 39, #3, May 2004, p. 289.
  • "M-278. Atwood's Machine", DICK and RAE Physics Demo Notebook, 1993.
  • Richard Manliffe Sutton, M-112, Demonstration Experiments in Physics.
  • Richard Manliffe Sutton, M-111, Demonstration Experiments in Physics.
  • Richard Manliffe Sutton, M-110, Demonstration Experiments in Physics.
  • Robert Ehrlich, "High Friction Atwood's Machine", Why Toast Lands Jelly-Side Down, p. 58 - 60.
  • Joseph Frick, "#115 - Free Fall", Physical Technics: Or, Practical Instructions for Making Experiments in Physics and the Construction of Physical Apparatus with the Most Limited Means", p. 135.

Video Credit: Daniel Reinart

1G10.40 - Atwood's Machine