Ryan Job

Partners: Sam Bachmeier, Hans Dittrich, Ryan Sokup

Newtons Laws
Objective: The objective of this lab is to demonstrate the second and third of Newtons three laws of
motion. These laws are that Force = Mass x Acceleration and that for every action there is an equal and
opposite reaction.
Setup/Method: For the first part of this experiment, we had a cart with a force sensor and an
acceleration detector mounted on it. These were connected to a computer running Vernier Graphical
Analysis, which then plotted three graphs: force vs. time, acceleration vs. time, and force vs.
acceleration. We then placed the cart on a ramp which is lying flat on a table and pulled and pushed on
the hook of the force sensor with various amounts of force. The graph was saved, and then we did the
same thing over, only adding a .500kg weight to the cart.

For the second part of this experiment, we had two force sensors with a loop of string in between them.
We then pulled on the two sensors in opposite directions and at varying forces while Vernier Graphical
Analysis plotted the force compared to time on a graph. We then saved the graph and repeated this,
only using a rubber band instead of the string.

Ryan Job

Partners: Sam Bachmeier, Hans Dittrich, Ryan Sokup

Data: The mass of the cart without the weight on it is 0.678kg. When comparing the force vs. time and
acceleration vs. time graphs in the first part of this experiment, we found that the graphs of each trial
were very similar in shape, although varying in magnitude. The force vs. acceleration graphs were also
very linear. The equation of the line in trial one was 0.634x + 8.514x10^-4. The equation of the line in
trial two was 1.151x + 0.019.
Part 1, Trial 1 Graphs

Part 1, Trial 2 Graphs

The graphs of the second part of this experiment have two lines on them, each one representing one of
the force sensors. The two lines have a very similar magnitude, only one is positive and the other is
negative.
Part 2, Trial 1 Graphs

Part 2, Trial 2 Graphs

Ryan Job

Partners: Sam Bachmeier, Hans Dittrich, Ryan Sokup

Results: When finding the units of measurement on the slope of the force vs. acceleration graphs of the
first part of this experiment, we divided Newtons by m/s^2, and since a Newton is 1kgm/s^2, only kg is
left over. The values we found for the slope also show this, as they were very close to the mass of the
cart in kg. The mass of the cart in the first trial was 0.678kg, and we got a slope of 0.634kg. The mass of
the cart in the second trial was 1.178kg, and we got a slope of 1.151kg. Both of the measured values for
the mass are very close to what the mass was, which shows that Newtons second law is accurate. The B
value for these lines were also very small, which is accurate, as when there would be no force if there is
no acceleration and vice versa.
In the second part of this experiment, we found that both force sensors had approximately the same
magnitude of force on them, but in opposite directions. This demonstrates Newtons third law, that for
every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. When we pulled on one force sensor, it measured
an amount of force while the other force sensor measured a force of the same magnitude, but in the
opposite direction. Compared to the string, the graph of the rubber band was not as great in magnitude.
This is because the rubber band absorbs some of the energy of pulling on the sensors, resulting in a
lower measured force on the sensors.
Conclusion: Newtons second and third laws of motion are accurate, as our data suggests. The
discrepancy between the graphs and what the values should be are because the sensors are not
perfectly accurate, so there appears to be a slight discrepancy. Some force or acceleration could also
have been lost due to friction, as this lab was not done in a frictionless environment.