Introduction:

Newtons second law of motion states that the acceleration of a body is directly
proportional to the net force on it and inversely proportional to its mass. In this lab, we
learnt the relationship between force and acceleration if the mass is constant. Besides, we
also learnt the relationship between acceleration and mass if the force is constant.
Procedure:
Finding the relationship between force and acceleration (for constant mass)
1. Determine the mass of the cart using the Triple Beam Balance and record in table 1.
2. Put the masses on the top of the cart.
3. Take 0. 020 kg from the top of the cart and place it at the end of the string.
4. Put the cart at its starting position and push the cart slightly.
5. Use the stopwatch to measure the time and record the displacement and time in table
1a.
6. Remove the 0.020 kg from the string and replace it with 0.040kg. Put the 0.020 kg
back onto the cart.
7. Repeat procedures 3 to 6 with 0.070kg, 0.090 kg, 0.100 kg
Finding the relationship between acceleration and mass (for constant force)
8. Keep the cart set up as the last section.
9. Put a 0.050 kg mass at the end of the string which will remain there for the whole lab.
10. Measure the time, displacement, and calculate the experimental acceleration.
11. Remove 0.400 kg from the top of the cart.
12. Measure the time, displacement, and calculate the experimental acceleration.
13. Repeat procedure 11 and 12 until 5 trials are done, each of successively smaller total
mass than the previous trial.

Questions:
1a. Plot a graph of Fnet (y axis) versus experimental acceleration (x axis). [Graph A]. As
you have done from previous labs, construct the best straight line for the data you have.
On graph paper
b. From the plot of your graphs, describe the relationship between Fnet versus
experimental acceleration.
The relationship between Fnet and experimental acceleration is linear (a direct
relationship).

c. What physical quantity can be determined from the slope of the graph Fnet (y axis)
versus experimental acceleration (x axis)?
Total mass
d. Determine the slope of the best-fit line in graph 1a above. Show how you calculated
the slope from the best fit line.

e. From the slope in part d above, determine the % error between the calculated (mt) and
the actual (mt).

2a. Plot the graph of experimental acceleration (y axis) versus 1/mt (x axis). [Graph B].
As you have done in previous labs, construct the best straight line from the data you have.
On graph paper
b. From the plot of your graph, describe the relationship between experimental
acceleration and 1/mt.
The relationship between experimental acceleration and 1/mt is linear (a direct
relationship).
c. What physical quantity can be determined from the slope of the graph of experimental
acceleration (y axis) versus 1/mt (x axis)?
Net force
d. Determine the slope of the best-fit line in graph 2a above. Show how you calculated
the slope from the best fit line.

e. From the slope in part d above, determine the % error between the calculated (Fnet) and
the actual (Fnet).

3. From your graph of experimental acceleration (y axis) versus 1/mt

(x axis), how could you tell that Fnet was constant?
Fnet was constant if the graph is a linear line as shown in Graph b.

4. Why was it necessary to balance the frictional force acting on the

system?
Balance the friction force can eliminate friction which will slow
down the cart.

Conclusion:
In this lab, I learned that there is a direct relationship between Fnet and
acceleration when mass was kept constant. Besides, there is a direct
relationship between the acceleration and 1/mt when the force was
kept constant.
I had learned Newtons Second Law of Motion and its equation F = ma.