A student investigated the acceleration of a trolley - AQA - GCSE Physics - Question 8 - 2020 - Paper 1

The student could use a pulley on the edge of the bench. This would redirect the string and prevent it from rubbing against the sharp edge, allowing it to move freely.

A suitable scale for the x-axis would be to plot resultant force ranging from 0 to 0.30 N in increments of 0.05 N. Plot the results from the table, with acceleration on the y-axis. Ensure that the points are correctly plotted based on the table values, then draw a line of best fit to indicate the trend of the data.

The relationship is directly proportional, meaning that as the resultant force increases, the acceleration of the trolley also increases proportionally.

The investigation could be improved by repeating the measurements to calculate an average, thereby minimizing the impact of any anomalies observed in single trials.

The equation that links acceleration, mass, and resultant force is given as:

$F = m imes a$

Using the equation $F = m \times a$, we can rearrange it to find acceleration:

$a = \frac{F}{m} = \frac{0.375 \text{ N}}{0.60 \text{ kg}} = 0.625 \text{ m/s}^2$

Thus, the acceleration of the trolley, rounded to 2 significant figures, is:

$a = 0.63 \text{ m/s}^2$.