Inertial Balance Experiment

Essential Questions:
How could we measure the mass of an object on the moon?
How does an inertial balance use the concept of inertia to determine an object’s mass?
Objectives:
Students will predict the mass of an unknown object using lab data from an inertial balance.
Students will explain how an inertial balance uses the concept of inertia and Newton’s First Law to measure the mass of an
object.
Identify:
On your lab paper, identify the problem/concept to be explored through the lab. It may be helpful to consider the
objectives and essential questions written above.
Hypothesis:
On your lab paper, describe the differences in the motion of the inertial balance you will observe as more mass is added.
For instance, will the balance swing faster, slower or the same speed?
Materials:
● 1 inertial balance ● 1 balance (digital or triple-beam)
● 7 metal squares ● 1 stopwatch
● 1 large C clamp (to attach balance to table) ● Calculator
● 1 small C clamp (to attach masses to balance) ● Graphing Paper
Procedure:
Summarize the following procedure on your lab sheet in 2-3 sentences.
1. Copy the following table onto your lab sheet:
Trial Total Mass (kg) Time for 10 Vibrations (s) Period (s) Period2 (s2)

8 (Unknown Predicted Mass:

Mass)
Actual Mass:

2. Measure the mass of the small C-clamp and one of the metal squares using the balance. Convert this measurement to
kilograms and record it under “mass” for Trial 1.
3. Attach the metal square to the open underside of the end of the inertial balance using the C-clamp.
4. Displace the end of the inertial balance by a distance equal to two finger widths. DO NOT push the inertial balance any
farther than this, it will damage the equipment and negatively affect your lab data.
5. Use a stopwatch to measure the time it takes the balance to make ten full swings. Record this under “Time for 10
Vibrations”. Note that in order to complete a full swing, the inertial balance must return to its original position.
 6. Measure the mass of a second metal square. Convert this to kilograms and add it to the mass of Trial 1. Record this total
mass under Total Mass for Trial 2.
7. Clamp the new metal square to inertial balance (along with the square already attached).
8. Measure the time for ten vibrations as you did for Trial 1.
9. Repeat steps 6-8, adding a new metal square each time. For trial 7, you should have 7 metal squares and the clamp
attached.
10. Calculate the Period for all seven trials. The period is the time for one full vibration. [Hint: you will be using the Time for 10
Vibrations to calculate the period.]
11. Calculate the Period Squared for all seven trials by squaring the period for each trial. Your data table should now be
completely filled out.
Analysis:
1. Was your hypothesis correct? Explain.
2. Make a scatter plot of your data, with Period2 on the y-axis and Mass on the x-axis. DO NOT connect the dots! Your plot
should have the following:
a. An appropriate title
b. Your axes should be properly labeled with the quantity and its units
c. The axes should be evenly divided to an appropriate scale
3. Draw a “Line of Best Fit” through your data. This line will go through the center of all of your data points, but will not
necessarily connect them. Think of the Line of Best Fit as the average of all your data points.
4. Obtain an unknown mass from your teacher. Measure the time for ten vibrations for this object. Calculate its period and
period2. Record the data in your table for Trial 8.
5. Use your Line of Best Fit to predict the mass of the object. To do this, find the point on your Line of Best Fit that
corresponds to the period2 you measured for the object. Mark this point on your graph and label it “Unknown”. Find the
mass that corresponds to this point on the line. Record this under “Predicted Mass” for Trial 8 in your data table.
6. Use the balance to measure the actual mass of your unknown. Record this under “Actual Mass” for Trial 8 in your data
table.
7. Calculate the Absolute Error of your unknown: Absolute Error = | Observed Value – Actual Value |
8. Calculate the Relative Error of your unknown: Relative Error = (Absolute Error / Actual Value)x100%
9. If your Relative Error was less than 20%, you may call your prediction successful. Were you successful?
10. Describe two ways that you could improve your experiment and its results.
11. Inertia is defined as an object’s resistance to changes in its motion. Think about what happened to the period of the
inertial balance as more mass was added. Describe how the inertial balance uses the concept of “inertia” and Newton’s
First Law of Motion to indicate the mass of an object.
12. Do you think the inertial balance could be used by astronauts on the International Space Station to measure the masses of
objects? Why or why not?
Conclusion:
Write a two to three paragraph conclusion summarizing your observations and the results.
Discuss whether your hypothesis was correct or needs to be revised.
Describe how an inertial balance can be used to measure the mass of an unknown object.