Analysis

This experiment deals with kinematics which is the study of motion.

Specifically, this experiment is to demonstrate the motion of a particle in a
straight line, the simplest motion.
First objective of the experiment is to study motion by determining the
velocity and acceleration. Velocity is the change in distance in a specified
direction per unit time. Acceleration is defined as the rate at which an object
changes its velocity. Through experimentation, dynamics cart was used in
order to study velocity and acceleration.
Velocity was demonstrated by the dynamics cart moving in a distance
from 25.00 cm (first photogate) to the varying distance of the second
photogate. Cart’s displacement was varied by adding 10.00 cm to it. Using
the smart-timer, time was noted. After getting the time, average speed were
able to compute by dividing displacement with the time the cart took. A
trend was determined, as the cart’s displacement was increased, the time
took longer, and the average speed slows down. Data were as follows.
Table 1: Determination of the Average Velocity of a Dynamics Cart
Position of Photogate 1, Xo = 25 cm
Average
Position of Cart’s Time (t)
Speed (
Trial Photogate 2 Displacement ( ∆ (Timer’s
(Xf) X = Xf - Xo) Rdg) X
v= ¿
t
1 65.00 cm 40.00 cm 0.5720 s 69.93 cm/s
2 75.00 cm 50.00 cm 0.7192 s 69.53 cm/s
3 85.00 cm 60.00 cm 0.8657 s 69.31 cm/s
4 95.00 cm 70.00 cm 1.0638 s 65.80 cm/s
 5 105.00 cm 80.00 cm 1.2053 s 66.37 cm/s

Second objective of the experiment is to determine experimentally the

acceleration due to gravity.
Acceleration was demonstrated by the dynamics cart moving at an
angle. The acceleration was due to the presence of gravitational pull of Earth
making the cart to accelerate. By adding 2.00 cm to the height of the track,
angle was also increased. Only one photogate was placed at the distance of
80.00 cm and the acceleration as the cart reached the photogate was
recorded. Experimental values of g were calculated from the timer’s reading
of acceleration divided by the sine of angle of inclination. The data obtained
were as follows.
Table 2: Determination of Acceleration Due to Gravity using Cart’s
Acceleration
Cart’s Initial Position, Xo = 0 cm Track’s Total Length, L = 120 cm
Cart’s Final Postion, Xf = 118 cm Total Displacement, ∆ X = X = 118cm
Height of Acceleration(a) H a 2X
Trial
Track (H) (Timer’s Rdg)
sin θ=
L
g=
sin θ
Time=
√ a
1 5.00 cm 38.10 cm/s2 0.04167 914.33 cm/s2 2.49 s
2 7.00 cm 48.10 cm/s2 0.0583 825.04 cm/s2 2.22 s
3 9.00 cm 62.00 cm/s2 0.0750 826.67 cm/s2 1.95 s
4 11.00 cm 77.20 cm/s2 0.09167 842.15 cm/s2 1.75 s
5 13.00 cm 100.10 cm/s2 0.1083 924.28 cm/s2 1.54 s
Accepted Value: g = 980 cm/s2 Average g = 866.49 cm/s2 % error = 11.58%

Observed from the data obtained, the height of the track posed an effect
to the cart’s acceleration. As you heighten the track, the acceleration of the
cart increases. Time is also related to the inclination of the track. As you
incline the track, time then became faster since the acceleration occurred in
the cart’s motion is equal to the component of g, the acceleration due to
gravity.
Another demonstration for this objective was with the use of the picket
fence. It was done by dropping it freely passing through a photogate and a
smart timer was used for the acceleration it read. Data obtained were as
follows.
Table 3: Determination of Acceleration Due to Gravity Using Picket Fence
and Smart Timer
Trial 1 2 3 4 5 Average % error
Acceleration (a)
989.1 994.4 979.8 977.4 978.5 983.84 0.39%
(Timer’s Rdg)

The accepted value of acceleration due to gravity is 980 cm/s2. Data

obtained were near to the accepted value getting a percentage error of
0.39%. This means that this part of the experiment was accurate in doing it.
Different values of picket’s fence acceleration were obtained since air
resistance must be the reason behind it. Acceleration due to gravity, 980
cm/s2, was the g value obtained in a vacuum where no air resistance is
present.
Conclusion
From the objectives of the experiment, I, therefore, conclude that they
were achieved.
Study of motion was demonstrated by determining velocity and
acceleration. Using a dynamics cart moving in a straight line, average
velocity was calculated from the data obtained. As the cart’s displacement
was increased, the time took longer, and the average speed slows down.
Acceleration was demonstrated by inclining the cart’s track at an angle to
account for the acceleration posed by the gravitational pull of the Earth.
 Acceleration due to gravity was determined experimentally through
different methods. First was using the cart’s acceleration at an angle of
inclination and the second was using the picket fence dropped freely. It was
more accurate to account for the determination of acceleration due to gravity
experimentally with the use of the picket fence than the use of the cart’s
acceleration at an angle of inclination. This was observed with the values of
each method: cart’s acceleration has an error of 11.58% while picket fence
has an error of 0.39%.
Observations such as the following were obtained. As you heighten the
track, the acceleration of the cart increases. As you inclined more the track,
time then became faster. Lastly, different values of acceleration due to
gravity were obtained experimentally since we can’t control other forces
such as the air resistance.
This was the Experiment 2, kinematics, was demonstrated.