EXPERIMENT NO.

3
GRAPHICAL ANALYSIS OF MOTION

Name: __________________________________ Course & Year: _________________________

Group No.: ______________________________ Time/Days: ____________________________
Instructor: _______________________________ Date: ________________________________

OBJECTIVE:
 To determine the relationships between the graphs of position, velocity and acceleration
versus time for an object undergoing constant acceleration, both positive and negative.

APPARATUS:

 PASCO Physics Module, which consists of the following components: (a) Data Collection
System, (b) PASCO Dynamics Track, and (c) PASCO Dynamics Cart
 Thick text book (to support a certain inclination of the track)

INTRODUCTION:

Imagine a car moving down the street at a constant speed of 11 m/s (about 25 mph). What
does a graph of the car's position x with respect to time t look like? Since it’s moving at a
constant speed, the graph is a straight line. Its slope is equal to the car's velocity v. So what
does a graph of velocity versus time look like? At a constant 11 m/s, velocity is a straight, flat
line the slope of a flat line is zero. This example shows that since the car’s velocity is not
changing, the car is not accelerating, so the slope of a velocity versus time graph is equal to
acceleration a. Position, velocity, and acceleration versus time graphs for a car moving with
constant velocity are shown as follows:
 Figure 3.1 Graph of time vs. position (x, velocity (v) and acceleration (a) at constant velocity

If the same car accelerates from rest at a constant rate, the position versus time graph is no
longer a straight line. The graph curves upward like a parabola because the car is covering a
greater distance each second. Following the same convention to determine the accelerating
car’s velocity, the slope of the parabolic curve is equal to the car’s velocity: a non-zero straight
line. Constant acceleration means that the car's velocity is increasing at a constant rate which
agrees with the constantly increasing slope of the car’s position versus time graph. The slope of
the velocity versus time graph shows how quickly the car accelerates (a steeper slope means
greater acceleration). Position, velocity, and acceleration versus time graphs for a car moving
with constant non-zero acceleration:

Figure 3.2 Graph of time vs. position (x, velocity (v) and acceleration (a) at variable velocity

Finally, for this example, the acceleration versus time graph is a straight, flat line whose
constant value is equal to the slope of the velocity versus time graph.
PROCEDURE:
Part 1 – Constant Velocity
SET UP
1. Place the dynamics track on the lab table and set the cart in the center of the track.
2. Adjust the level of the track by raising or lowering the track feet until the cart sits stationary
in the center of the track without rolling.
(NOTE: Ensure that the switch on the top of the sensor is set to the cart icon.)
3. Connect the smart cart to the data collection system.
4. Display two graphs simultaneously. On one graph, display position on the y-axis and time on
the x-axis. On the second graph, display velocity on the y-axis and time on the x-axis.
5. Test the motion sensor by recording a short run of data while moving the smart cart. Do the
graphs show that the sensor detected the motion of the smart cart? Is the data consistent
with the motion of the smart cart? If so, continue to the next step. If not, readjust the
motion sensor so it reads properly. Contact your teacher for further help if necessary.
DATA COLLECTION
6. Place the cart stationary on the track starting at 20 cm.
7. Begin recording data, and then gently push the cart with your hand.
8. Stop the cart before it leaves the track, and then stop data recording.
(NOTE: On your position versus time graph, you should see a flat line briefly before you pushed
the cart, then a smooth, sloped line showing the cart's increasing position as time passes.
Finally, you should see the sloped line abruptly become horizontal at the point where the cart
stops. If these trends are not present, or do not make sense to you, repeat the previous steps
until your data is more representative of the motion of constant velocity.)

Part 2 – Constant Acceleration

DATA COLLECTION
9. Put a textbook beneath the track near the motion sensor so the cart will accelerate down the
hill (away from the sensor) when released.
10. Hold the cart stationary at the top of the track about 0.20 m from the sensor.
11. Begin data recording and release the cart, catching it at the bottom of the ramp.
12. When the cart reaches the bottom of the ramp, stop data recording.

Part 3 – Constant Negative Acceleration

DATA COLLECTION
13. Move the textbook to the other end of the track so the motion sensor is at the bottom of
the incline.
14. Hold the cart stationary at the bottom of the track about 0.20 m.
15. Begin data recording and then give the cart a gentle push so it moves uphill on its own. It
will decelerate as it moves to the top of its path. Do not let the cart leave the track at the
top of the hill. Then let the cart go back down the track. Keep recording data as the cart
descends. Do not let the cart hit the sensor at the bottom (catch the cart before it reaches
the sensor).
16. Stop data recording.

DATA ANALYSIS AND COMPUTATIONS:

Data Analysis
1. Explain the meaning of the slope from both the position versus time and velocity versus
time graphs.
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2. Without looking at the acceleration versus time graphs on your data collection system,
sketch the acceleration versus time graphs for each type of motion from their
corresponding velocity versus time graphs. Be sure to label both axes with the correct scale
and units.
Analysis Questions:
1. One of the three types of motion you explored was constant velocity, but was the velocity of
the cart totally constant during your trials or did it slow slightly? What are some factors that
may have caused the velocity of the cart not to be constant?
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2. Another type of motion you explored was constant acceleration. What caused the constant
acceleration of the cart? How could you have increased this acceleration, and how would
your graphs of position and velocity versus time be different if the acceleration was
greater?
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3. Imagine you were standing in front of a motion sensor which was measuring your position
as a function of time as you moved toward or away from the sensor. Assuming the graph
below shows this data; describe your motion during data collection in terms of your speed
and direction.
Figure 3.3. Hypothetical graph of time vs. position (x, velocity (v) and acceleration (a) obtained from a
typical experiment.

CONCLUSION(S) AND RECOMMENDATION(S):

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