Name: ___________________

Date: _______

Lab: Acceleration Down An Incline

How does the acceleration of an object down an incline depend on the
angle of the incline? What is acceleration due to
gravity?
EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Dynamics Cart with Mass and Dynamics Cart Track, books, clamp,

Meter stick, 1 Photogate and Smart Timer, picket fence

Procedure
1.
2.
3.
4.

Set up Smart Timer to Acceleration with one Gate.

Set up the track with one end raised about 10 cm higher than the other. Carefully measure the exact height.
Move the cart to the end of the track.
Release the cart and record the acceleration through the gate. Repeat this measurement 3 times. Record all the values
in your Data Table.
5. Lower the end of the track by approximately 1 cm, measure the height, and repeat the time measurements. Do this for
at least 5 different heights.

Data and Observations

Suggested Data Table Add columns for calculations.

Height of
End of the
Track (cm)

Trial 1

Acceleration (m/s2)
Trial 2
Trial 3
Trial 4

Trial 5

Average
Acceleration
(m/s2)

Analysis Questions
1. Using Newtons Second Law for the x-axis, derive an expression for the acceleration. Show each step of this
derivation.
2. Make a graph of acceleration versus sin, using Excel.
3. Discuss your graph. What does the slope mean? What is the meaning of the y-intercept?
4. Calculate the percent error between the slope and g earth. Show this calculation.
5. If the mass of the cart were doubled, how would the results be affected?
6. Consider the difference between your measured value of g and the true value of 9.80 m/s 2. Could friction be the
cause of the observed difference? Why or why not?

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