Linear Motion Simulation

Physics | Mechanics

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Linear Motion Simulation

General Aim

The purpose of the linear motion simulation is to measure the acceleration of gravity, g.

Method

The linear motion simulation is used to determine the acceleration due to gravity (g) by measuring the acceleration of a cart on an inclined air track and using the relationship between the inclined plane's angle and the gravitational acceleration.

Learning Objectives ILO

By the end of linear motion simulation, the student should be able to:

Learn what is linear motion.

Discover linear motion definition.

Analyze the motion of an object down a no friction inclined surface, using the physics motion simulator.

Study the linear motion equations.

Set up an experiment to determine the acceleration due to gravity and the angle of inclination of the airtrack.

Theoretical Background

Free fall refers to the motion of an object falling under the influence of gravity, without any resistance from air. This type of motion is considered to be uniformly accelerated, as the object experiences a constant acceleration due to gravity.

However, when an object moves down an inclined plane, the force of gravity acts at an angle to the plane, meaning only a component of the force acts along the plane. As a result, the rate of acceleration is slower than in free fall.

By taking the angle of the incline into account, it is possible to calculate the magnitude of the acceleration due to gravity. It is worth noting that if there is no friction between the object and the inclined surface, the object will only move under the component of the weight acting along the surface.

Working principle of the linear motion simulation

In this Kinematics lab, we aimed to determine the acceleration due to gravity (g) by analyzing the motion of a cart on an inclined air track. By minimizing frictional forces through the use of an air track, we were able to focus on the effects of gravity.

The linear motion simulation involved measuring the time it took for a cart to travel a known distance down an inclined air track. The angle of inclination of the track was carefully measured. By applying the kinematic equations for constant acceleration to the motion of the cart, we calculated the acceleration of the cart down the incline.

To determine g, we utilized the relationship between the acceleration of the cart, the angle of inclination, and the acceleration due to gravity. The calculated value of g was then compared to the accepted value of 9.80 m/s².

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