Lab Report

1.Target
To study on the relationship between the acceleration, the net external force and the mass
(The Newtons second law).
2.Theory
According to the Newtons second law, a=Fnet / m .
In the reality, m can be determined a balance, Fnet can be controlled[1], and a can be
calculated by the formula a=2x/t2The formula can be used because the motion is a uniform

acceleration motion with the initial velocity of zero) .

[1]Define the tension of light rope is FT, then
Fnet(car)=FT=mcara
Fnet(weight)=mweightg-FT=mweighta
Thus
m m g m g
FT = car weight = weight
mcar + mweight m
1+ weight
mcar

Therefore, in condition of mweightmcar, Fnet(car) = FT mweightg,and we can control the net force of small car the
by changing the mass of weight.
3.Experiment Process
Required Equipment: A set of weights, a small car, a light rope, a small plank, some coins,
a fixed pulley, a ticker tape timer, a paper tape.
First, Use the balance to determine the mass of
the small car as mcar.
Second, Set up the Experiment Equipment
properly.
Third, Balance the frictional force. Put a coin under the right side of the plank, adjust its
position until the small car is not accelerating (which can determined by the ticker tape timer).
Fourth, Tie the rope to the car and the weight (make sure mweightmcar) , release the car after
the power of the ticker tape timer is plugged in. Then take off the tape, choose a pair of dots which
can be easily seen, and define the process time between each single dots is t, the distance of
between each chosen dot and its right-hand dots is x, the dots amount between the chosen dots is
n, then we can determine the acceleration a is
 Then choose two new pair of dots, in order to calculate the average a as this process. Record
the data of mweight, x, n. Calculate the average later.
Fifth, Change the mass of weights and do the Fourth step again.
Sixth, Change the mass of small car (by adding or reducing the weights on it), and do the
Third and Fourth step again.
Finally, Compare the data with the theoretical value, and analyse the error.
4.Data

mweight (kg) mcar (kg) x (m) n a

#1 0.0015 29 0.1293

0.0103 0.507 0.0039 39 0.2500

0.0050 49 0.2551

#2 0.0003 29 0.0259

0.0031 0.507 0.0007 39 0.0449

0.0021 49 0.1071

#3 0.0004 29 0.0345

0.0031 0.407 0.0012 39 0.0769

0.0023 49 0.1173

5.Results

experimental value of a (m/s2) theoretical value of a (m/s2) relative error (%)

[average] [Determined by a=Fnet / m]
#1 0.2115 0.199 6.22

#2 0.0593 0.060 -1.05

#3 0.0763 0.075 2.15

average 2.44

6.Error Analysis
-The average of relative error is bigger than 0.