In Galileo’s Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences, he notes that a ball rolling down a uniform incline accelerates uniformly. Unfortunately, the most accurate tool to available to Galileo was a water clock, and this experiment has been designed to confirm his results using more-precise measurements from a motion detector and computer software. Similar to previous experiments, a test-cart was observed in motion down an incline track and using the Logger Pro software, precise graphical representations were created. Data Table for […]
Introduction: Isaac Newton’s Third Law of physics states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. This principle describes interactions between bodies, and an experiment has been conducted to study these relations. In the following, two Force Sensors were utilized in connection with computer software to observe and generate graphical data for such interactions. Analysis: (1) Examine the two data runs. What can you conclude about the two forces? How are the magnitudes related? How are the signs […]
INTRODUCTION This experiment was designed to investigate the relationship between work, potential energy, and kinetic energy. Applying equations learned in Physics class, it was possible to compare these to values measured by computer software. Examples used in the experiment were a cart, a spring, and a mass. Preliminary questions: 1. Lift a book from the floor to the table. Did you do work? To answer this question, consider whether you applied a force parallel to the displacement of the book. […]
This experiment was conducted to identify a quantity of unknown metal using calorimeter and conservation of heat principles and determine specific heat of metals. Specific Heat of Metal by definition: The heat required to raise the temperature of the unit mass of a given substance by a given amount (usually one degree). Credit for the concept of specific heat usually goes to the Scottish chemist Joseph Black. In the 18th century he noticed that equal masses of different substances need […]
Student Researched Lab Experiment to evaluate Spring Constants Introduction In this experiment we evaluated Hooke’s law by measuring the stretch of a spring with incremental masses. A motion detector provided position measurements and the masses were added 100 grams at a time. To calculate the spring constant we utilized the least squares method of data fitting on a Force by distance graph. Sample Calculations Line of Best Fit: f(x) = 0.202x + 16.5 xi-mean height, yi-force of gravity (1) Mean […]
Written by: Nicholas Connor In spite of their evident disadvantages, fossil fuels have been the dominant energy source of the 20th century. Perhaps as Brian Cox has asserted in Chain Reaction, “we are addicted to petroleum”. Environmental consequences thereof, such as carbon dioxide emissions and recent industrial spills, implicate that the contiguous manufacture and consumption of these fuels are perilous for future generations. Although society celebrates consumer technology, Max Planck’s conjecture is pertinent: “A new scientific truth does not triumph […]