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A student carried out an experiment to investigate the relationship between force and acceleration by applying a force to a body and measuring the resulting acceleration - Leaving Cert Physics - Question 1 - 2015
Question 1
A student carried out an experiment to investigate the relationship between force and acceleration by applying a force to a body and measuring the resulting accelera... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:A student carried out an experiment to investigate the relationship between force and acceleration by applying a force to a body and measuring the resulting acceleration - Leaving Cert Physics - Question 1 - 2015
Step 1
Draw a labelled diagram of the apparatus used in the experiment.
Answer
To create a labelled diagram of the apparatus, ensure you capture the following elements clearly:
- Air Track: A straight track with minimal friction for the toy car to glide over.
- Toy Car: Placed on the air track, which is connected to a force sensor.
- Force Sensor: Used to apply force to the toy car and measure the force being applied.
- Timers/Photogates: Utilized for measuring the time taken by the toy car to travel a certain distance, which can help in calculating acceleration.
- String: Connecting the force sensor to the toy car (if applicable). All components should be clearly labelled with lines drawn to the respective items.
Step 2
State what measurements were taken during the experiment.
Answer
During the experiment, the following measurements were taken:
- Force: The amount of force applied to the toy car, measured in Newtons (N).
- Acceleration: The rate of change of velocity of the toy car, measured in meters per second squared (ms²).
- Distance: The total distance travelled by the toy car during the interval of time measured.
Step 3
How were the effects of friction reduced in this experiment?
Answer
The effects of friction were reduced in this experiment by:
- Using an Air Track: This minimizes contact friction between the toy car and the track, allowing smoother movement.
- Aligning the Track: Ensuring the air track is level ensures that the forces acting on the toy car are consistent and reduces frictional forces.
- Using Low Friction Wheels: The design of the toy car may include low friction wheels to further diminish resistance.
Step 4
Plot a graph, on graph paper, of the acceleration against the force.
Answer
To plot the graph:
- On the x-axis, label it as Force (N) and mark values from 0 to 3.5 N based on the force measurements.
- On the y-axis, label it as Acceleration (ms²) and mark values from 0 to 0.7 ms² based on the acceleration measurements.
- Plot the following points based on the provided data:
- (0.5, 0.1)
- (1.0, 0.2)
- (1.5, 0.3)
- (2.0, 0.4)
- (2.5, 0.5)
- (3.0, 0.6)
- (3.5, 0.7)
- Connect the points with a straight line indicating a linear relationship between force and acceleration.
Step 5
What does your graph tell you about the relationship between the acceleration of the body and the force applied to it?
Answer
The graph indicates a direct proportional relationship between the acceleration of the body and the force applied to it. As the force increases, the acceleration also increases consistently. This suggests that:
- The relationship is linear.
- Acceleration is directly proportional to force, allowing us to infer that when the force is doubled, the acceleration also doubles, confirming Newton's second law of motion, which states that Force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma).