Testing Newton’s 2nd Law

Luca Webber
Introduction
• In this unit we learned about:
• Learning, how to learn ourselves, types of learning
• Acceleration (change in speed/change in time)
• Speed (distance/time)
• Velocity vs Speed. (Velocity is magnitude and direction, could be -10)
• Laws of motion
• 1. Object in motion stays in motion etc.
• 2. F=MA
• 3. Every action= equal and oposite reaction
• Net Force
• Mass

Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its
mass, and its acceleration.
Plan
• To prove this statement, I will conduct an experiment that will provide
data for me to analyze and use to actively prove the F=MA equation
• I will use a weight to pull a car down a track while recording the car’s speed
with a motion sensor
• The incline and mass of the car will remain constant only the weight of the
“weight” will increase
• Since both the car and “weight” are accelerating, I will move weight from the
car to the “weight” to ensure the total mass stays constant
• This will allow us to change the Force, while keeping M constant. Also, we are
measuring A.
Acceleration
Δ𝑉𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑉2 −𝑉1
• = =𝐴
Δ𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑇2 −𝑇1
• Acceleration is the process in which an object systematically changes
its velocity in accordance with the A.
• Gravity causes things to accelerated more percicse at 9.807 m/s/s

Encyclopædia Britannica. "Gravity (physics)." Encyclopædia Britannica,

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2021, https://www.britannica.com/
Force

Since in this equation, we are dropping a weight

vertically downwards, it will follow the forces of
gravity acting upon it.

To equate the force, we will multiply the

acceleration (9.807 m/s/s) by the weight (we
change this value) to get the actual force.
Mass

A(grams)+B(grams)= C(grams)

We weighed the objects or used ones that

were preweighed and had percise values.
Experiment- Method
• Materials needed: • Method of experiment

• Toy Car • Set up ramp on a table so that one end has the
wheel connected and the other has the sensor
• Weights pointed towards the wheel
• Toy car ramp • Attach wire so that one end has the car and the
other has the weights. Lay the wire over the
• Motion/position sensor wheel allowing the weights to droop down over
the table. Hold the car at the opposite end
• Computer (sensor side).
• Fishing wire • Connect sensor to computer
• Wheel that connects to ramp • Start recording data and let go of the car
• Move weights from weight to car and repeat.
• Repeat each weight value 3 times to get a better
average.
Experiment- Variables

Independent= The force exerted on the car

Dependent= The Acceleration of the car

Controlled= the total mass, the incline of the ramp, the

sensor’s orientation.
 • The mass stays the same throughout the whole
Data experiment that being 522.2 grams.

Force​ Average​ A1​ A2​ A3​

0.49​ 0.877433333​ 0.9009​ 0.8914​ 0.84​

0.686​ 1.21​ 1.249​ 1.197​ 1.184​

0.882​ 1.543333333​ 1.552​ 1.553​ 1.525​

1.078​ 1.907333333​ 1.943​ 1.932​ 1.847​

1.274​ 2.270333333​ 2.266​ 2.281​ 2.264​

1.47​ 2.638666667​ 2.625​ 2.693​ 2.598​

1.666​ 2.795333333​ 2.862​ 2.74​ 2.784​

1.862​ 3.459666667​ 3.424​ 3.583​ 3.372​

2.058​ 3.525333333​ 3.52​ 3.463​ 3.593​

2.254​ 4.092333333​ 4.042​ 4.089​ 4.146​

2.45​ 4.754666667​ 4.617​ 4.884​ 4.763​

Evaluating the
Data
• The equation of the trend line has an
R squared of above 0.98 meaning it
fits quite well with the data. While
there are some anomalies the data is
somewhat linear. However, to prove
the F=MA equation we must
complete the equation and see if the
projected value I.E.:
Force/Acceleration=522.2 grams
equals the real value.
Projected V actual results
 Conclusion
• While the results differed quite substantially from
the actual data, but they showed key similarities
in the shape of their trends, the patterns, and the
directions. While this experiment cannot be stated
as a complete success, it does prove Newton’s
second law of motion. Perhaps the best example of
this is the first graph I presented. Not only is the
trend line very linear, but it also has a slope of 19,
roughly the same value as our independent
variable’s change, that being 20 grams in each
experiment. The projected values are also quite
similar as they only differ by a few hundredths.
When you compare the projected values to those
measured on a graph, the difference is very much
negligible. The one for mass looks very different
but it’s just very zoomed in.