Newton’s Second Law
Experiment #7 from Exploring Motion and Force with Go Direct® Sensor Cart
- Education Level
- Middle School
Introduction
Newton’s second law of motion describes the relationship among force, mass, and acceleration. In this activity, you will study the relationship between acceleration and mass, while keeping force constant. A cart carrying different masses will be pulled across a table by a hanging weight—the constant force. Acceleration will be measured using a Sensor Cart. You will plot a graph of acceleration versus total mass of the system, and then use the graph as you make conclusions about the relationship between mass and acceleration.
Objectives
- Use a Sensor Cart and Graphical Analysis to determine acceleration.
- Record data.
- Graph data.
- Make conclusions about the relationship between mass and acceleration.
Sensors and Equipment
This experiment features the following sensors and equipment. Additional equipment may be required.
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Purchase the Lab Book
This experiment is #7 of Exploring Motion and Force with Go Direct® Sensor Cart. The experiment in the book includes student instructions as well as instructor information for set up, helpful hints, and sample graphs and data.
