Acceleration

• Equipment


  • Trolley
  • Metre ruler
  • Pulley
  • String
  • Stack of masses
  • Electronic balance
  • Light-gates and datalogger + laptop with timing software
• Experiment setup


  1. Set up the equipment as in the diagram

  2. Set the software to measure acceleration from gate A to B

  3. Measure and enter the length of the card mask that cuts the light beams into the computer

  4. Measure and enter the distance between the light gates into the computer

  5. Measure the mass of the all the masses and trolley together
• Experiment procedure


  1. Start with one accelerating mass and the rest on the trolley

  2. Let the mass accelerate the trolley and record the acceleration

  3. Calculate the accelerating force by multiplying the accelerating mass by 9.8 N/kg

  4. Move a mass from the trolley to the stack of masses (this keeps the total mass constant) and repeat

  5. Repeat until all the masses are on the stack
• Plotting graphs


  1. Plot a graph of force against acceleration

  2. Plot a graph of acceleration against mass
• The experiment can be repeated but this time keep the accelerating force constant by using the same number of masses on the stack. The mass being accelerated is then changed by adding masses to the trolley.