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Physics Lab Report #3

The lab report investigates the acceleration of a weighted cart on a frictionless track, comparing theoretical and experimental values. The results showed significant percent errors due to the cart's weight exceeding the limit, affecting data accuracy. Despite challenges, the experiment illustrated the relationships between position, velocity, and acceleration, highlighting the importance of precise measurements in physics experiments.

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3 views

Physics Lab Report #3

The lab report investigates the acceleration of a weighted cart on a frictionless track, comparing theoretical and experimental values. The results showed significant percent errors due to the cart's weight exceeding the limit, affecting data accuracy. Despite challenges, the experiment illustrated the relationships between position, velocity, and acceleration, highlighting the importance of precise measurements in physics experiments.

Uploaded by

pabloandresaldrete
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lab Report #3

Mary Fiala, Pablo Aldrete Fiscal, Eli Sixto, Madeline Aguilar


Department of Physics, The University of Texas at El Paso
PHYS 1403, CRN: 22825, Group 3
Professor Karla Carmona Miranda
February 17, 2025
Introduction
Acceleration is the rate at which an object's velocity changes over time. It is a vector quantity,
meaning it has both magnitude and direction. In physics, acceleration occurs when an object
speeds up, slows down, or changes direction. It is commonly measured in meters per second
squared (m/s²). The purpose of this lab was to use acceleration to master the Capstone
presentation software and data gathering. The concepts of Newton’s law were used in support
and tandem with theoretical acceleration in order to measure the accuracy of our measurements
in this experiment. Theoretical acceleration, however, is an ideal figure that does not take friction
and air resistance into consideration. Although a combination of physical tools was employed to
make friction and air resistance as negligible as possible, these factors cannot be fully eliminated.
(PAF)

Materials and Setup


- Motion Sensor PassPort

- Glider and Air Track


- 550 Universal interface
- Dell Desktop Computer
- Capstone Program
- Participants
- Rubber band bumpers
- 294.8 g silver cart
- 35 g hanger
- Triple Beam Balance
(ES)

Procedure
1. Eli measured the weight of the silver cart using a triple beam balance as 194.8g.
2. Using the measured weight of the cart plus the weight added to the cart Eli calculated the
35⋅−9.8
theoretical acceleration using the following equation: 𝑎 = 294.8+35
3. Madeline then set up the capstone program for the position versus time graph while Pablo
turned on the air track and positioned the cart so that the string attached to the handing
weight was fully stretched.
4. Pablo let go of the cart so that the position v. time graph was created.
5. Using points on the position v. time graph Madeline and Eli calculated the initial and
final velocities.
6. From these calculated velocities Eli calculated the first acceleration of the cart.
7. In the capstone program Pablo created the velocity v. time graph using the same data.
8. From this graph Eli calculated acceleration 2.
9. Madeline used the capstone program to create the acceleration v. time graph. Using the
highlight icon, she measured the average acceleration of the same time points used to
calculate the previous velocities and accelerations. This was used as acceleration 3.
10. The three experimental accelerations were compared to the previously calculated
theoretical value by Madeline who found the precent error for each.
(MA)

Data and Data Analysis

Theoretical Acceleration -1.04 m/s^2


(MA)(ES)

Points needed to compute Initial Velocity Points needed to compute Final Velocity

Position 1 .68 m Position 2 .64m Position 3 .09 m Position 4 .01 m

Time 1 .75s Time 2 .85 s Time 3 1.653 s Time 4 1.727 s

Position Time Position Time


-.04 m .1 s -.08 .074s
Change Change Change Change

Initial Velocity -.4 m/s Final Velocity -1.08 m/s

Acceleration1 -.696 m/s^2

Velocity 1 .74 Time 1 1.85

Velocity 2 -.74 Time 2 3.450

Velocity
-2.59 Time Change 1.86
Change

Acceleration2: -.79 m/s^2


Acceleration3 -.71 m/s^2

Percent Error

Acceleration 1 33.07%

Acceleration 2 24.03%

Acceleration 3 31.73%

Conclusions
Through this lab we explored the various ways to calculate the acceleration of an object
moving along a frictionless plane. We compared our calculated theoretical value to the motion of
a weighted cart on a frictionless track to the experimental acceleration we calculated from the
measured the cart's movement. From the position v. time, velocity v. time and the acceleration v.
time graphs we saw percent errors above 20% for each. However, this might have been a
technical error as all the calculated experimental accelerations from the measured data were
relatively close in value. In future experiments we will have to double check our set up to make
sure our subject is being measured accurately. (MA)
The data of the glider’s acceleration proved to have some challenges, on account of the
excessive weight. Due to the cart being 35g, above a 30g limit, the results skewed and made data
collecting a bit difficult (creating high percent errors). Despite this, the trends of acceleration and
its relationships with other vectors did show in the graphs. There are clear patterns between
position, velocity, and acceleration, visually and mathematically. (ES)
This lab presented several avenues in which we could explore and calculate the
acceleration of an object in a setting where the effects of friction were mitigated as much as
possible. The carts weight ultimately exceeded the established weight limit which in turn skewed
are results, data, and calculations. We continued with the experiment despite this and were able
to use position v. time, velocity v. time, and acceleration v. time graphs to establish the
acceleration of the experiment and how it related to other vectors. (PAF)

Personal Learning Experience


While a bit confusing at first, once we understood which points from the graphs were
necessary to calculate our velocities and accelerations it was a straightforward process.
Unfortunately, due to this confusion we ran short on time and were not able to remeasure the cart
using a lighter weight in hopes of getting a smaller precent error. We will have to keep this in
mind in upcoming labs. (MA)
This lab was the first in Physics where the process was not completely smooth, so it was
a bit difficult to navigate at times. Our TA helped tremendously, and we opted to log the errors
and data collected initially due to time constraints. It was still a good learning experience, and
the I better understood the math and connections despite and obstacles this time around. (ES)
This lab truly highlighted how one single component can significantly skew data without fully
derailing an experiment. The weight of our cart in the experiment exceeded the 30 g limit. Errors
are not often the focal point of experiments, but this situation served as a very important
reminder of how absolutely every factor in an experiment matter. (PAF)

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