Experiment No.

101

Title: NEWTON’S 2ND LAW OF MOTION

PHYS101L/ A1 Group No. 4

Group Leader: Bayer, Neil Ivan

Date of Performance/ Submission: 05/06/2023

Seat # Name Contributions Signature

25 Lerpido, Axel John C. Group Data Analysis
26 Mabilangan, Apollo G. Editor
27 Mallari, Lloyd S. Editor
28 Manahan, Jake Matthew T. Group Data Analysis
29 Pablo, Josh Sedrick F. Group Data Analysis
30 Provido, Miguel Vincarlo P. Group Data Analysis
31 Salto, Neo T. Group Data Analysis
32 Ty, Kendrick Cole O. Computations
33 Bayer, Neil Ivan Results & Discussions
A) GROUP DATA /INTERPRETATION / GRAPHS

Table 1: Hanging Mass on a Constant Mass with Changing Mass on the Hockey Puck
Length of card (m) 0.216 Hanging Mass, m2 (kg) 0.20
Hover Experimental Accepted
Midtime Average Average
puck Midtime Value of Value of
1 velocity velocity 2 % Error
mass, 2 (s) Acceleration Acceleratio
(s) 1 (m/s) (m/s)
m1 (kg) (m/s2) n (m/s2)
0.10 6.5614 6.7693 1.8 3.008 5.810 6.533 11.067

0.20 1.5751 1.8152 1.586 2.7 4.640 4.9 5.306

0.30 2.1512 2.4172 1.385 2.455 4.023 3.92 2.628

0.40 1.7762 2.0680 1.286 2.25 3.304 3.267 1.133

0.50 1.0261 1.3420 1.173 2.077 2.862 2.8 2.214

As shown in table 1, as the mass of the hockey puck increases in each trial, the average
velocities decrease which leads to the decrease in the experimental value of acceleration of the
puck. With the use of equation 2, we calculated the accepted value of acceleration in trials 1, 2,
3, 4, and 5, with the values 6.533 m/s 2, 4.9 m/s2, 3.92 m/s2, 3.267 m/s2, and 2.8 m/s2 respectively.
In calculating the experimental value of acceleration, we used equation 3 in trials 1, 2, 3, 4, and
5, with values of 5.810 m/s2, 4.640 m/s2, 4.023 m/s2, 3.304 m/s2, and 2.862 m/s2, respectively.
The percentage error of trials 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 were 11.067%, 5.306%, 2.628%, 1.133%, and
2.214%, respectively.

Table 2: Hockey Puck on a Constant Mass with Changing Mass on the Hanging Mass

Hover puck mass, m1

Length of card (m) 0.216 0.20
(kg)
Hangin Experimental Accepted
Midtime Average Average
g Midtime Value of Value of
1 velocity velocity 2 % Error
Mass, 2 (s) Acceleration Acceleratio
(s) 1 (m/s) (m/s)
m2 (kg) (m/s2) n (m/s2)
0.10 1.3842 1.6762 1.286 2.25 3.301 3.267 1.041

0.20 1.6131 1.8531 1.586 2.693 4.613 4.9 5.857

0.30 1.3630 1.583 1.688 3 5.964 5.88 1.429

0.40 1.1900 1.4000 1.8 3.176 6.552 6.533 0.291

0.50 0.8391 1.0371 1.865 3.364 7.571 7 8.157

 As shown in table 2, as the mass of the hanging weight increases in each trial, the average
velocities increase which leads to the increase in the experimental value of acceleration of the
puck. With equation 2, we calculated the accepted value of acceleration in trials 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5,
with the values 3.267 m/s2, 4.9 m/s2, 5.88 m/s2, 6.533 m/s2, and 7 m/s2. In calculating the
experimental value of acceleration, we used equation 3 in trials 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, with values of
3.301 m/s2, 4.613 m/s2, 5.964 m/s2, 6.552 m/s2, and 7.571 m/s2, respectively. The percentage
error of trials 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 were 1.041%, 5.857%, 1.429%, 0.291%, and 8.157%, respectively.

Figure 1. Acceleration of Hockey puck over the total mass of hockey puck (m1)

Figure 1 shows the relationship between the mass of the hockey puck and the acceleration
of the puck. As shown in the graph, as the total mass of the puck increases, its acceleration
decreases.

Figure 2. Acceleration of Hockey puck over the total mass of hanging weight (m2)
 On the other hand, figure 2 shows the relationship between the mass of the hanging
weight and the acceleration of the puck. Contrary to figure 1, it is shown in the graph in figure 2
that as the total mass of the hanging weight increases, its acceleration increases.

B) ANALYSIS

The experiment was about Newton’s second law of motion, this law explains what happens to an
object when forces act on and no force acted on it. It is mathematically expressed as:

∑ 𝐹⃗ = 𝑚𝑎⃗ (1)

where the net force on a body is equal to the product of the body’s mass and its acceleration.
There were two parts in the experiment, changing hockey puck mass (m1) with constant hanging
mass (m2) and changing hanging mass (m2) with constant hockey puck mass (m1). The
mathematical expressions used for computing acceleration in this experiment are:

m2 g
a= (2)
m1 +m 2

where acceleration is equal to the net force acting on the hanging weight divided by the sum of
the mass of the hanging weight and the hockey puck; and,

v 2−v 1
a= (3)
t 2−t 1

where acceleration is equal to the difference of average velocity 2 (v 2) and average velocity 2
(v1) divided by the difference of midtime 2 (t2) and midtime 1 (t1).

Varying hover puck

The concept that the experiment used is Newton’s 2nd Law of Motion where F=ma.
According to the data gathered, we can see an inverse relationship between the Accepted Values
of Acceleration to the mass of the Hover puck. The accepted value of acceleration decreases
when the hover puck gains mass. We can relate this relationship to Newton’s 2 nd Law of Motion.
If a system gains mass, it would require more force to positively change its rate of speed or
velocity. This relationship is evident in Figure 1, where the graph shows a downward trend as
mass increases. It implies that if all other factors remain constant, a heavier hockey puck will
experience a smaller acceleration compared to a lighter puck when subjected to the same force.
More force would mean the object would accelerate quicker (Science World, 2020). However,
the reason why our accepted values of acceleration did not increase as our system gained mass is
simply because we have a constant value for force. The force that’s applying on the hover puck
is the string that is connected to a 0.20kg weight, which creates tension. Hence, this is the reason
why the values did not change accordingly.

Another observation we can see in the data is the direct relationship of average velocity,
experimental and accepted values of acceleration. As observed, the values of the average
velocity decreases as the acceleration values decrease. This is because velocity is essentially the
change in acceleration of an object (Science World, 2020). Thus, it follows the same relationship
with the change in acceleration throughout the experiment. With this in mind, we can also
conclude that the average velocity of the hover puck is inversely related to its mass as well.

Varying hanging mass

Similar to the previous part, we still use Newton’s 2nd law of motion to help explain the
data. An observation we can see is the direct relationship between the hanging mass to the
accepted value of acceleration. The accepted value of acceleration increases as the mass of the
hanging mass increases. This is because we are changing the tension force that’s acting upon the
hover puck (which has a constant mass). Our tension force is the string that’s attached to the
varying hanging mass. According to Newton’s 2nd Law of Motion, increasing the force that’s
acting upon a constant mass would also increase the rate at which it accelerates. More force
would mean the object would accelerate quicker (Science World, 2020). This relationship is
depicted in Figure 2, where the graph shows an upward trend as the mass of the hanging weight
increases. It implies that, while keeping other factors constant, increasing the mass of the
hanging weight will cause the hockey puck to experience a higher acceleration when subjected to
the same applied force. Hence, why our acceleration values increase as our hanging mass (force)
increase in mass which pulls the constant hover puck from rest faster.

Similar to the previous part, we can see a direct relationship between average velocity
and the experimental and accepted values of acceleration. The values of average velocity
increase as the value of acceleration increase. This is because velocity is essentially the change in
acceleration of an object (Science World, 2020). Thus, it follows the same relationship with the
change in acceleration throughout the experiment. With this in mind, we can also conclude that
the average velocity of the hover puck is inversely related to its mass as well similar to part 1.

For both parts, the midtime values, which are the values that represent the moment of
average velocity at the photogate, were inconsistent and had inconclusive relationships with the
rest of the values. This is possibly due to the limitations of the virtual simulation where this
laboratory experiment was conducted. Overall, we can see the relationship of acceleration with
the mass of the hover puck and the hanging mass. Each one of them positively or negatively
influences the average velocity and the accepted values of acceleration of the system according
to Newton’s 2nd Law of Motion. 

In conclusion, this experiment, E01: Newton's 2nd Law of Motion, with the use of a Hanging
Mass - Hockey Puck set-up, has explained the relationships between the variables in
aforementioned law (i.e., force, mass, and acceleration) systematically. After performing and
analyszing the experiment, the group identified the following relationships:

1. Mass is inversely proportional to velocity and acceleration.

1 1
m v m v
∝ ∝

2. Force is directly proportional to mass.

F∝m

3. Force is directly proportional to velocity and acceleration.

F ∝v F∝a

These identified relationships have aligned with the placement of the variables in the
equation and the results obtained in the experiment (see Tables 1 & 2). With these, it can be
implied that Newton's 2nd Law of Motion, the Law of Acceleration, principally governs most,
with an exceptions to some fields, general physics. The equation ∑ 𝐹⃗ = 𝑚𝑎⃗, despite its
apparent simplicity, keeps on delivering new insights to those who study it. It can be used to
determine basics concepts, such as the mass, the force, and the acceleration of an object given if
two of the aforementioned variables are provided, yet; it can also be used to determine more
advanced notions, such as instantaneous acceleration, instantaneous velocity, and even relativity.

References:

Science World. (2020, July 2). Forces. Retrieved June 3, 2023, from
https://www.scienceworld.ca/resource/forces/