Logbook of Experiment

Newton's 2nd Law & Atwood Machine – Qualitative Study

Group Number: 3

Student Names:
Mary Haddad
Farah Khafate
Dana Barhoom

Student IDs:
a00159
a00127
a00200

Course: Physics LAB

Semester: Fall
Date: 11/11/21
Supervisor: Dr. Mohammed Yousef Alshoqran
Abstract:

The aim of this experiment is to study, observe and measure the impacts of mass,
the angle of inclination, and the friction force on the motion of the object and its
acceleration, in an Atwood machine stimulation. This electronic experiment is
evaluated in terms of Newton’s Second Law of motion. The electronic experiment
was related and compared with the expectations of the theoretical model.

Introduction:

This experiment’s objectives is to test, measure and analyze the effects of different
aspects that can influence on an object’s motion and acceleration in an Atwood
machine. These include friction, mass, and inclination. These forces were tested
and observed to seek an analysis of the effect in terms of Newton’s Second Law of
motion.
A qualitative analysis was derived from a quantitative analysis which would be
collected from examining the results of the impacts of those forced and reporting
the findings.

Hypothesis:
If the number of the angle of inclination, friction force and the mass of one of the
blocks is high then the acceleration would be slow.
If the measure of the number of the angle of inclination, friction force and the mass
of one of the blocks is low, then the acceleration would be high for one of the
blocks.

Theory:

The data would be collected from the electronic stimulator of the Atwood machine.
The data was analyzed and studied, and the results follows Newton's Second Law
equation, which states F = ma:

Newton's Second Law: Force=mass × acceleration

Force is known to be a vector quantity since it has magnitude and direction. What
causes an object to change velocities or cause an increase or decrease in
acceleration is forces. Newton's Second Law states on the effect of the force on an
object's motion is:
If the forces on an object are balanced, there is no acceleration. Therefore, if an
object is at rest, then it stays at rest, and if an object is moving it will keep on
moving at constant speed (Khan Academy).
The law also states that if the forces that are acting on an object are unbalanced,
there is an acceleration. This follows the equation F= ma.

Friction is known to be the force that would resists the relative motion of solid
surfaces, fluids, or elements that collide or slide against each other. It has the effect
on objects motion which causes them to slow down. If the friction is increased,
more energy is needed by the object to keep its momentum hence it will slow down
(Homenick, Science).

The angle of inclination has an impact on the motion of an object. When there’s an
incline, the force of gravity is not perpendicular to the surface. As the angle of the
incline is increased, the normal force is decreased, which decreases the frictional
force. As the angle is increased, the acceleration of the object is also increased
(Davis, 2020).

For acceleration to occur, it will depend on the net force that acts on the object.
The net force is known to be the sum of all the forces acting on an object, and it
will depend on the object's mass.

The Atwood Machine is a pulley, a string, and a series of masses which are all
used in the machine. The Atwood machine also acknowledges that the tension
force is constant.

Method:

Our group members scheduled a Microsoft team meeting in order to solve the
questions together in a meeting and started by opening the manual and an
individual was sharing their screen for the other members to see and cooperate. We
opened the simulation website which is ( https://ophysics.com/f3.html ).

At first, we started by the first part where we had to set an initial constant for the
incline, m1, m2 and coefficient of friction, listing the values in our logbook, and
check the effect on the acceleration, the tension, and the force of friction as we
changed the mass of m1.
We showed in the table chart the incline degree, m2, the coefficient of the friction
and the m1 increasing and analyzed what is happening and wrote down the data.

For the second section, Choose the same initial set for the incline, m1, m2 and
coefficient of friction as before, listing the values in our logbook, check the effect
on the acceleration, the tension, and the force of friction as we changed the mass of
m2. We showed in the chart the incline degree, m1, the coefficient of the friction,
and the m2 increasing, then created a table chart when the m2 is increasing and
wrote down the data we noticed.
For the third section, we Choose the same initial set for the incline, m1, m2 and
coefficient of friction as before, listing the values in our logbook, checking the
effect on the acceleration, the tension, and the force of friction we change the
coefficient of friction. We drew in the chart the incline degree, m1, m2, the
coefficient of the friction, then created a table chart when the coefficient of the
friction is increasing and wrote down the data have analyzed.

In the last section of part 1, we choose the same initial set for the incline, m1, m2
and coefficient of friction as before, listing the values our logbook, checked the
effect on the acceleration, the tension, and the force of friction as we change the
incline. So, we have inserted a table of the m1, m2, the coefficient of the friction,
and the incline increasing and wrote down the data investigated.

For the second part of the experiment, we started with the first section by finding a
set of parameters where the boxes are not moving, listed the set in our logbook and
explained why there is no motion.
For the second section, we found a set of parameters where m2 has approximately
a free-falling behavior, listed the set in our logbook and explain why a free-falling
behavior is occurring.
For the third part, we found a set of parameters where the system is moving to the
left, listed the set in our logbook and explained why the motion to the left is
occurring.
For the last section of part 2, we started by finding a set of parameters where the
system is moving to the right, listed the set in our logbook and explained why the
motion to the right is occurring.

Results:

Qualitative analysis:
Part 1:
a)Choose an initial set for the incline, m1, m2 and coefficient of friction,listing
the values in your logbook, and check the effect on the acceleration, the
tension and the force of frictionasyou change the mass of m1. Describe what
occurs as you cover the full range for m1. Show the qualitative changes in one
chart where m1 is the independent variable and the acceleration, the tension
and the friction force are the dependent variables.

Angle m1 m2 Coefficient Acceleratio Tension Force of

(°) (kg) (kg) of friction n in string friction(N)
(m/s 2) (N)
24.5 1 5 0.7 0 9.8 10.44

24.5 3 5 0.7 0 29.4 9.16

24.5 6 5 0.7 0.67 54.81 31.24

24.5 7 5 0.7 1.43 58.61 31.24

24.5 9 5 0.7 2.62 64.59 31.24

24.5 10 5 0.7 3.1 66.99 31.24

Observations:
 We noticed when m1<m2, nothing happened.
 When m1 was 6, slow acceleration occurred.
 When m1 was 7, m1 pulled m2 slowly but faster than 6.
 When m1 was 9, acceleration when pulling m2 was faster.
 When m1 was at maximum, 10, the fastest acceleration occurred.
 As m1 increases, acceleration increases.

Effect on the acceleration, the tension, and the force of friction as the mass of m1
is changed:
b)Choosing the same initial set for the incline, m1, m2 and coefficient of
frictionas before,listing the values in your logbook, check the effect on the
acceleration, the tension and the force of frictionasyou change the mass of
m2.Describe what occurs as you cover the full range for m2. Show the
qualitative changes in one chart where m2 is the independent variable and the
acceleration, the tension and the friction force are the dependent variables.

Angle m1 m2 Coefficien Acceleration Tension Force of

t of (m/ s )
2
in string friction(N)
friction (N)
24.5 5 1 0.7 6.45 16.75 6.25

24.5 5 3 0.7 2.26 37.68 18.74

24.5 5 4 0.7 0.87 44.66 24.99

24.5 5 5 0.7 0 49 28.76

24.5 5 7 0.7 0 49 20.66
24.5 5 9 0.7 0 49 12.16

 When m2 was 1, we noticed that m1 pulled m2 fast.

 When m2 was 2,3 we noticed that m1 pulled m2 a little slower than the
previous speed.
 When m2 was 4, we noticed that the acceleration very slow.
 When m2 was 5, nothing happened as they are equal.
 When m2 was from 6 to 10, again nothing happened as m2>m1
o As m2 increases, acceleration decreases

c)Choosing the same initial set for the incline, m1, m2 and coefficient of friction as
before, listing the values in your logbook, check the effect on the acceleration, the
tension and the force of friction asyou change the coefficient of friction. Describe
what occurs as you cover the full range for the coefficient of friction. Show the
qualitative changes in one chart where the coefficient of frictionis the independent
variable and the acceleration, the tension and the friction force are the dependent
variables.

Angle m1 m2 Coefficien Acceleration Tension Force of

t of (m/s )
2
in string friction(N)
 friction (N)
24.5 5 3 0.1 4.27 27.64 2.68

24.5 5 3 0.3 3.6 30.99 8.03

24.5 5 3 0.5 2.93 34.33 13.39

24.5 5 3 0.7 2.26 37.68 18.74

24.5 5 3 1 1.26 42.7 26.77

 When the coefficient of friction was 0.1, acceleration was fast.

 When the coefficient of friction was 0.3, acceleration has slowed down by a
small amount
 When the coefficient of friction was 0.5, acceleration became a little slower
 When the coefficient of friction was 0.7, acceleration became very slow.
 When the coefficient of friction was 1, acceleration is the slowest.
o As the coefficient of friction increases, acceleration decreases.

d)Choosing the same initial set for the incline, m1, m2 and coefficient of
friction as before, listing the values in your logbook, check the effect on the
acceleration, the tension and the force of friction asyou change the
incline.Describe what occurs as you cover the full range for the incline. Show
the qualitative changes in one chart where the incline is the independent
variable and the acceleration, the tension and the friction force are the
dependent variables.

Angle m1 m2 Coefficient Acceleration Tension in Force of

of friction (m/s 2) string friction(N)
(N)
0 5 3 0.7 3.55 31.24 20.58

15 5 3 0.7 2.69 35.56 19.88

30 5 3 0.7 2.05 38.75 17.77

45 5 3 0.7 1.7 40.51 14.37

60 5 3 0.7 1.66 40.72 10.26

75 5 3 0.7 1.91 39.45 5.33

90 5 3 0.7 2.45 36.75 0

 When the angle was at 0 degrees, m1 pulled m2 fast.

 When the angle was at 15 degrees, m1 pulled m2 fast but slower than 0
degrees
 When the angle was at 30- 75 degrees, m1 pulled m2 slower and the
movement was heavy
 When the angle was at 90 degrees, m1 pulled m2 really slow
o As the angle increases, acceleration decreases

Part 2:
a)Find a set of parameters where the boxes are not moving, list the setin
your logbook and explain why there is no motion.

No boxes will move if the acceleration is zero, in conditions such as

o when m1 and m2 are equal
o when m2 is greater than m1

b)Find a set of parameters where m2 has approximately a free-

fallingbehavior, list the setin your logbook and explain why a free-falling
behavioris occurring.
There will be a free falling for m2 when
o when the angle = 90 degrees and the coefficient of friction = 0, where
m2>m1

d)Find a set of parameters where the system is moving to the left, list the
setin your logbook and explain why the motion to the left is occurring.
The system will move to the left when
o m2>m1, with a high incline

e)Find a set of parameters where the system is moving to the right, list the
setin your logbook and explain why the motion to the right is occurring.
The system will move to the right when
o m1>m2 at any angle
References:

 Davis, B. (2020, July 24). Home. MVOrganizing. Retrieved November 18, 2021, from
https://www.mvorganizing.org/does-angle-affect-force/.

 Homenick, A. (n.d.). Science. enotes.com. Retrieved November 18, 2021, from

https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-effect-does-friction-force-have-motion-
367657#:~:text=and%20thousands%20more.-,Friction%20can%20be%20defined%20as
%20the%20force%20that%20resists%20the,hence%20it%20will%20slow%20down.

 Khan Academy. (n.d.). What is Newton's first law? (article). Khan Academy. Retrieved
November 18, 2021, from https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics/forces-
newtons-laws/newtons-laws-of-motion/a/what-is-newtons-first-law.