EXPERIMENT 2: LINEAR MOTION

OBJECTIVES

To determine displacement, velocity and acceleration of a linear motion.

To analyse linear motion of a moving object.

DIAGRAMS/DRAWAINGS
1. Ticker timer 50Hz

2. Carbonized ticker tape

3. Runway

4. Power supply

5. Trolley

6. Jumper wire

7. Ruler

8. Lab jack/clamp

9. Cellophane tape

10. Graph paper and glue

PROCEDURES
1. The trolley was rolled down freely from rest without any applied force.
2. The ticker tape was attached to the trolley by using cellophane tape.
3. The ticker timer is switched on and the trolley was released freely

Figure 2a
4. Every 10th dot is marked and numbered.
5. Every 10th dot ticker tape was cut and pasted .
Note:
1.
Frequency of ticker-time is 50Hz. Therefore, 1 dot or 1 unit time represent
1/50 second or 0.02 second.
2.
Time for 10 dots = 10 dots x 0.02 second = 0

Figure 2b

(GRAF)

Figure 2c
DATA
1
2

Number of 10- dot strips

Total time, t total = number of strips x 0.2
Total displacement of the trolley

10
10 x 0.2
=2 s

2.4195
100
= 2.4195 m

Average velocity of the trolley

4

v=

total displacement
total time

Acceleration of the trolley

a. Initial velocity

u=

length of first strip

time for 10 dots

b. Final velocity

v=

length of last strip

time for 10 dots

c. Time for acceleration, t

(number of strips 1) x (time for dots)
d. Acceleration

a=
Average velocity
6

average =

v+u
2

ANALYSIS

ERROR ANALYSIS
Error

vu
t

2.4195
2
= 1.20975 m/s
6.35 100
0.2
= 0.3175 m/s
36 100
0.2
= 1.8 m/s
(10-1) x (0.2)
= 1.8 s
1.80.3175
1.8
2
= 1.624 m/ s

1.8+ 0.3175
0.2
= 1.95875 m/s

Careless when doing the calculation.

Applied force when release the trolley.

Step to avoid error

Be careful when doing the calculation.

Make sure there is no applied force when release the trolley.

EQUIPMENT ERROR
During the experiments there were difficulties that sometimes occurred with the ticker tape
timer. Though the machine worked quite effectively the problem was encountered with the
purple carbon disc that created imprints on the ticker tape paper. During the experiment one
to occasions the disc would either not imprint anything on to the ticker tape paper or come off
during that experiment. This resulted in trails having to be repeated and the waste of lab
materials to retrieve accurate data.

INHERENT ERROR
Theres always potential for inherent errors during on experiment and this one is not an
exception. The cart being released and the operation of the ticker tape timer were done by two
different group members. This created the possibility for the cart to be released slightly
before or after the ticker tape timer was activated. Though it may not seem drastic because
the time measurements being recorded are so miniscule such a synchronization problem can
significantly change in average velocities per interval.

IMPROVEMENTS
There are major improvements that can be proposed to make the data collected from this
experiment more precise and accurate. The first improvement would be the creation of a tool
to allow one person to operate both the ticker tape timer and release of the trolley. By creating
a release button that would operate both devices it would synchronize them and ensure the
data was precise. Also placing groove on the board which the trolley could run along on the
ramp would allow the trolley to have a constant start and end track on the board. This would
eliminate the variation of places the trolley could start and finish from and the chance of the
trolley falling of the board near the end of its run.

QUESTIONS
1. Is there any difference in the value of average velocity between result 4 and 6?
Explain your answer.
Yes, the different between result 4 and 6 is result 4 is 1.20975 m/s and result 6 is
1.95875 m/s. That because result 4 is a theory while result 6 is practical. Result 4 is
theory because it shows the velocity of the experiment. While result 6 shows the
average velocity.
2. Sketch the dots recorded on a ticker tape that shows:
a. Uniform Speed
Answer

b. Increasing Speed (acceleration)

Answer
c. Decreasing Speed (deceleration)
Answer

3. From your result, state the motion of the trolley.

Answer: Acceleration

CONCLUSION
From the experiment, we found that experiment linear motion was successful done according
to the procedures.
The objective of experiment was achieved to analyse linear motion of a moving object and
determine displacement, velocity and acceleration of a linear motion.
As the conclusion, the hypothesis is accept. We enable to determine linear motion of a
moving object and enable to determine displacement, velocity and acceleration of linear
motion.