Physics Draft Lab #3

Statement: The islands in the Caribbean are small and those along the volcanic chain, are also
very mountainous. As a result there is not much room for standard runways needed for larger
airlines to land. Some airports have shorter runways, forcing aeroplanes to use every available
runway for landing and departing. In order to provide greater stopping potential of an aeroplane,
some airports have used materials on their runways to allow a plane to stop over a shorter
distance. Plan and design an experiment that can be used to show how the use of different
materials can ensure a shorter stopping distance of a moving object.

Hypothesis: A “vehicle” down a ramp with a fixed length and fixed height, but has the shortest
stopping distance has the greatest dynamic friction (coefficient of friction).

Aim: To show how the use of different materials can ensure a shorter stopping distance of a
moving object.

Apparatus: A toy car, 6 surface materials, ramp, support stand, extensive clamp and metre ruler.

Diagram:

Apparatus was set up as shown in the diagram above.

Theory:

1. Dynamic friction (also known as Kinetic Friction) is the frictional force formed between
any two surfaces while they are in motion. Its formula is F = μN. Before being calculated,
frictional force needs to be determined by its formula (F=ma) and then solve for μ. The
greater the friction between the road, the shorter the distance required to stop. The major
 source of friction is the surface present, as well as the mass of the object. More friction is
created when the surface becomes rougher and an object becomes heavier.

2. According to Newton's second law, an object's acceleration is directly proportional to the

net external force exerted and indirectly proportional to its mass. Its formula is F = ma. In
other words, more force produces more acceleration for a given mass, whereas more
mass produces less acceleration from the same force. Force causes acceleration, and
acceleration causes velocity to change. When the velocity reaches zero, an object has
come to a halt, but it will never be zero. This implies that the object continues to move
between the moment the force is applied and the time it comes to a stop. The distance it
travels in that duration is referred to as the stopping distance.

3. When not in motion yet capable of becoming active, an object can pose potential energy.
Everything has rest mass potential energy when it is at rest; if the object is in a position to
be impacted by gravity and fall, it possesses gravitational potential energy. As a result,
kinetic energy is acted upon when it is released.
Kinetic energy is the energy that an object has as a result of its motion. A vehicle's
stopping distance is the distance it takes to come to a complete stop owing to the material
used. Because of their greater mass, bigger vehicles have more kinetic energy and
momentum than smaller vehicles. As a result, stopping a larger vehicle requires more
energy than stopping a smaller one. This suggests that a large vehicle's stopping distance
would be greater than that of a small vehicle. The weight of a vehicle also plays a role in
determining stopping distance. The more kinetic energy a vehicle possesses, the longer it
takes to come to a complete stop. When it stops, it goes back to potential energy.
For both forms of energy to be related, this formula shows how.
Variables:
Manipulated Variable: Different types of surface.
Responding Variable: Stopping distance
Controlled Variable: The type of vehicle and the speed of the vehicle

Method:
1. Set up apparatus as shown in the diagram.
2. Using the metre ruler, determine the ramp's slope and the distance to the surface.
3. Place and release the car down the ramp. By doing so, its continuous motion is accounted
for as the speed of the car moving down the ramp.
4. Calculate, measure and mark the car’s new distance from the top of the ramp to the
stopping distance.
5. Repeat these steps 5 more times for the rest of the surfaces and record observations into a
table.

Expected readings:

Title: Table showing the results of the stopping distance with each surface used down the ramp.

Different types of Surfaces used Stopping distances

Glassphalt

Plastic Asphalt

Subgrade

Fly Ash

Cobblestone

Wood Plank

Expected Results Statement: When the object moving down a ramp at a constant speed with a
fixed length and fixed height comes into contact with the variety of surfaces, the shortest
stopping distance has the greatest dynamic friction (coefficient of friction) which will be the
most suitable runway material.

Discussion:

To account for stopping distance, an object must go down the ramp at a constant speed
with an initial length and fixed height that meets the diversity of surfaces. The runway material
with the highest dynamic friction (coefficient of friction) will have the shortest stopping distance.
This is significant since speed is a major component in all traffic accidents and fatalities. The
quicker a vehicle travels, the longer it takes to come to a stop and the higher the chance of a
collision. Speed and stopping distances do not increase in sync. Small increases in speed result in
longer stopping distances.
 Distance, and mass are all key components in this lab, but the major conclusion you can
draw from them is dynamic friction. Dynamic friction (also known as Kinetic Friction) is the
frictional force formed between any two surfaces while they are in motion. Its formula is F = μN.
Before being calculated, frictional force needs to be determined by its formula (F=ma) and then
solve for μ. The greater the friction between the road, the shorter the distance required to stop.
The major source of friction is the surface present, as well as the mass of the object. More
friction is created when the surface becomes rougher and an object becomes heavier.

Precautions:

1. When releasing, do not push the car, but allow it to move on its own, so when it reaches the
bottom, it will always be the same speed when approaching the surface.

2. You must always start with the car at the same height for each surface. If you don’t do this, it
will cause inexactitudes in your experiment.

Sources of Error:

1.When released, pushing the car down the ramp will cause the speed to not be constant, but
different for each attempt.

2. If you do not start the car at the same height for each surface; it will cause constant inaccurate
results since the initial height will not be the same.