Lab. Exercise No.

Newton’s First Law of Motion

Section: ________ Date: ________

Name: ___________________ Student’s ID _________________

Simulation for Newton’s First Law of Motion

https://iwant2study.org/lookangejss/02_newtonianmech
anics_2kinematics/ejss_model_kinematics/kinematics_S
imulation.xhtml
 Newton’s First Law of Motion
After completion of this experiment, the student will be able:
1. To find the relation between distance and time based on the Newton’s first law of
motion.
2. To determine the speed of the motor driven car.

Apparatus
1. Ruler
2. Car motor driven
3. Recording tape
4. Connecting card 500mm, 10A blue
5. Power supply (3 – 12v, 2A /6v – 12v, 5A)
6. Track 1000mm

Theory
Newton's first law of motion - sometimes referred to as the law of inertia. An object at rest stays
at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless
acted upon by an unbalanced force.
There are two clauses or parts to this statement - one that predicts the behavior of stationary objects
and the other that predicts the behavior of moving objects. The two parts are summarized in the
following diagram.
Procedure
1. Place the recording timer at the end of the track.
2. Connect the recording timer to the power supply 6v.
3. Pass the recording tape through the guides on the recording timer so that paper side is down.
4. Attach the recording tape to the small pulley on the car.
5. Place the car on the track next to the recording timer and remove the slack in the recording
tape, as shown in the Figure 2.1.
6. The recording tape should run directly through extension of the track.
7. Set the car for its lowest velocity (thin end of the symbol).
8. Turn on the timer.
9. Start the car and let it move on the track.
10. Stop the car at the end of the track.
11. Turn off the recording timer.
12. Remove the recording tape and mark it 𝑣𝑚𝑖𝑛.
13. Set the car for highest velocity (thick end of the symbol).
14. Repeat steps 2, 3 and 4 for highest velocity.
15. Mark the recording tape 𝑣𝑚𝑎𝑥.
16. For ‘lowest velocity 𝑣𝑚𝑖𝑛’ mark the 20th dot on the recording tape as zero point (s = 0, t = 0).
17. From this point mark every successive 25th dot as measuring point.
18. Determine the distance ‘S’ from the zero point to each measuring point and their respective
times ‘t’, and record in Table 1.
19. Determine ‘Δs’ and ‘Δt’ around each measuring points and record the values in Table 2.1.
20. Repeat all steps for the (highest velocity 𝑣𝑚𝑎 ), and record in Table 2.2.

Figure 2.1 Newton’s first law motion experimental setup

Observations
Table 2.1 Distances and time (for minimum velocity)

𝑺 ∆𝑺
𝒗𝒂𝒗 = 𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒔 =
t S ∆𝒕 ∆𝒔 𝒕 ∆𝒕
Obs. No.
(sec) (cm) (sec) (cm)
(cm/sec) (cm/s)

Calculations
Using the measured values from the above table.
Draw the path – time graph for minimum velocity 𝑣𝑚𝑖𝑛 (by using Table 2.1) on the same axis
of the given graph paper, by taking ‘t’ along x-axis and ‘S’ on y-axis.
Find the slope of the best fitting line of distance-time graph, and determine the speed of the
car.
 Table 2.2 Distances and Time (for maximum velocity)

𝑺 ∆𝑺
𝒗𝒂𝒗 = 𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒔 =
t S ∆𝒕 ∆𝒔 𝒕 ∆𝒕
Obs. No.
(sec) (cm) (sec) (cm)
(cm/sec) (cm/s)

Calculations
Using the measured values from the above table.
Draw a velocity- time graph taking ‘t ‘along x-axis and ‘𝑣𝑎𝑣𝑔 on y-axis (by using Table 2.1)
on the same axis of the given graph paper.
Find the slope of the best fitting line of velocity-time graph and determine the acceleration
from velocity-time graphs.
Results
1. Speed of the car (for minimum velocity) = .............................. (from graph)

2. Acceleration of the car (for minimum velocity) = ............................. (from graph)

3. Hence the Newton’s first law of motion ........................ (verified / not verified)

Questions
1. What is the difference between instantaneous velocity and average
velocity on the basis of your observations?

2. What is the acceleration from velocity time graph, if it is zero then why?

3. How you can say that motion is uniform or non-uniform?