Nathalie Ortega

Physic 2053L
Professor: Dagoberto Malagon Morejon

09/12/2021

Cart on a Ramp Pre-Lab 03

PRELIMINARY QUESTIONS:

1.Consider the changes in motion that a cart will undergo as it rolls up and down an incline.
Make a sketch of your prediction for the position vs. time graph. Describe in words what this
graph means.

In this type of graph, the vertical y-axis represents position(m) relative to the starting point and the
horizontal x axis represent the time in (s). The slope in this graph represents the velocity of the cart at
that instant, the slope can be found with the formula given at the top.

Position vs Time

1.6
1.4
Position (m)

1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4 position
0.2
0

0123456789 10 11 12
Time (S)

1.The prediction of the graph shows the curve in form of parabola which represents the motion of the cart
that rolls up and down an incline. At the beginning t=0, the cart is at position zero, which means that the
cart is initially at rest. The cart starts moving when it is being pushed at t=1 and have a positive slope. At
an approximated time of 6.60s, the cart stops at the highest point, which means that the slope is equal to 0
as the object is momentarily at rest. After that the cart velocity increase in the negative side between t=7
and t=11.Afterward it starts rolling down back to starting point. It stops at t=11, the slope at t =11 remains
0 and its velocity. Basically, this graph means how far the cart traveled from its starting point at any
given time since it started moving.
2.Make a sketch of your prediction for the velocity vs. time graph. Describe in words what
this graph means.

In this graph the (y) vertical axis represents the velocity V(m/s) of the cart. The horizontal x
axis represents the time (s). The slope in this graph depends on the acceleration motion of the
cart. If the acceleration is 0, the slope remains 0.

Velocity vs Time

1.5

1
Velocity (m/s)

0.5

Velocity
0
012345678910 11 12

-0.5

-1
Time (S)

At the beginning of this graph the motion of the cart is moving in a straight line. The cart has
a zero velocity at the beginning t=0, therefore the cart is not moving. At t=1 the cart is being
pushed and the velocity increases, means the cart is moving with a positive velocity and
reaches the highest velocity at t=2. Afterward its velocity has been decreasing since the
gravity. At the end of the graph the cart is not moving and remains = 0, consequently the
velocity of the cart is 0. This graph means how the velocity of the moving cart changes over
the time also this graph shows the speed and direction the cart travels over a specific period
of time.
3.Make a sketch of your prediction for the acceleration vs. time graph. Describe in words
what this graph means.

In this graph, the vertical (y) axis represents the acceleration(m/s^2) of the cart. The
horizontal (x) axis represents the time (s). The slope at that point (derivative) will always be
equal to the acceleration at that time.

Acceleration vs Time

2.0
Acceleration (m/s2)

1.5

1.0

0.5
Acceleration
0.0
012345678910 11 12
-0.5

-1.0
Time (S)

At the beginning of this graph, the cart has zero acceleration at t=0, and at t=1 the cart is being pushed up,
since that gives the cart a positive acceleration and at that time the velocity increase and reaches the
highest point at t=2. After that, the acceleration has been reducing to zero at t=6, the cart stops moving.
Afterward, the cart starts moving back to the start point with a negative acceleration. It stops when reached
to starting point at t=11, the acceleration is zero, means the velocity is equal to 0. This specific graph tells
us about the velocity and displacement of the cart moving in a ramp.