third Lab

Forces, Masses, Acceleration and Friction:

Do the following for each of the two applets below. You will need to use the graphing part at the top of the applet to assess some of the questions. If you click on the graph with the left mouse button you will see an X and Y readout. Note that in the following M₁ refers to the lightest mass, M₂ to the intermediate mass and M₃ to the largest mass.

1. Pick a combination of forces and masses and give them impulses. Record the average velocity after between 3 and 4.5 seconds for each push on each surface.

2. Your spread sheet should record the following:




Force	Mass	Velocity between 3 and 4.5 seconds
30	M2	4.5

3. After you have done that answer the questions below at the bottom of the applets.

4. Which of the two surfaces had the most friction?

5. Describe the nature of the position vs time plot for the surface with the most friction and explain why this is analogous to the position versus time plot for an object in free fall.

6. What is the mass ratio of M₃ to M₁?

7. What is the relation between force, mass and average velocity that you determined in your data.

8. In this case, the Force is applied on the object over a period of one second. What does the product force x time then equal to ]for that object and how does that explain what you got in question 7 above?