Wait for applet to load. Graph paper will appear in the box below. Do not go to step 2 until the blank graph paper appears!
CLICK HERE For the rest of the apparatus to appear.
You will see a black cart with red wheels.
Click the pause and play buttons and watch the cart move. Use the reset button to return the cart to the beginning.
You will see that the car is speeding up, therefore there must be a force acting. The force may be assumed to be constant both in magnitude and direction.
Collect data by stopping the cart at 10 different points. Each time you stop the cart, record the time and the x coordinate. Time (t) is measured in seconds. Distance (x) is measured in centimeters.
Be sure to record the code which appears below the cart and moves with it.
Construct a graph to represent this motion by using your data points to plot Time along the horizontal (x) axis and Distance from the start (x coordinate in the applet) along the vertical (y) axis.
You will hand in your data table along with the graph. The graph must be properly labeled.
The mass of the cart is 10.0 grams. There is no friction.
Calculate the FORCE acting on the car. That is your conclusion.
Your Data Sheet should be set up like this:
Name ______________________________________
Code: ____________________
Trial
Time (sec)
Distance (cm)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Conclusion: The force acting on the cart was found to be ________________.
