Pasco Scientific ME-9429A, Instruction Manual And Experiment Manual

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012-05035E Dynamics Cart Accessory Track Set
➈
Record the initial position of the cart in Table 9.2.
➉
Release the plunger by tapping it with a stick and record the distance the cart goes up the track.
Repeat this five times. Record the maximum distance the cart went in Table 9.2.
11
Change the angle of inclination and repeat the measurements.
12
Add mass to the cart and repeat the measurements.
Table 9.2
Distance spring is compressed (x) = ______________
Initial position of cart = ___________________
Data Analysis
➀
Using the data in Table 9.1, plot force versus displacement. Draw the best-fit straight line
through the data points and determine the slope of the line. The slope is equal to the effective
spring constant, k.
k = ______________
➁
Calculate the spring potential energy and record in Table 9.3.
➂
Calculate the gravitational potential energy for each case and record in Table 9.3.
➃
Calculate the percent difference between the spring potential energy and the gravitational
potential energy.
Distance traveled by the cart (d)
Angle Mass Trial 1 2 3 4 5 Max
h = d sin
θ
Table 9.3
Angle/Mass % Difference
Questions
➀
Which of the potential energies was larger? Where did this “lost” energy go?
➁
When the mass of the cart was doubled, why did the gravitational potential energy remain
about the same?
Spring PE ( kx
2
)
1
2
Gravitational PE (mgh)