You are on page 1of 6

Acceleration and Velocity

Name
Prof.

Abstract

Our aim in this experiment is to investigate the relationship between acceleration and velocity.

Introduction

We use motion sensor to measure the position of a fan cart as it moves away from the motion
Sensor and setup the track so that the glider will experience a constant acceleration. Motion
sensors are also used to Record Acceleration and velocity.

Experimental Description

We set up the Daedal on Precision Air track and calibrate the motion sensor to set up the glider in
three different positions and record the velocity and acceleration and plot graph for each one.

Secondly we set up the spark timer and to record the data from the air track. In one run we needed
to set up the glider in the position toward the detector. Move the data over Igor Pro and put the
graphs into report.

Data Analysis

Let us suppose that x0 is the initial position of an object at constant acceleration (a) then position of
the object will be
1
x=x 0+ v 0 t+ a t 2
2

Where vo is the initial velocity.

Taking its Ist derivative


dx
=v 0 +at=v .. (1)
dt

Equation 1 shows a linearly slope of the position vs. time graph and the slope of the velocity vs.

time graph is the constant acceleration. By taking again derivative of Position it will give

acceleration of the body.


d2 x
=a .. (2)
d x2
We can also describe the relationship of Acceleration and Velocity as

Acceleration is the instantaneous rate of change of velocity with respect to time

d d2
a ( t )= v ( t )= x (t )
dt dt 2
a(t )=v ' (t)=x ' '(t)
and the velocity is the instantaneous rate of change of displacement with respect to time

d
v ( t )= x (t )
dt
v (t )=x ' (t)

Task 1

Now in task 1 first we will calibrate the motion sensor using the air track. Once the calibration is
completed, the air track will be set up so that the glider will move at constant acceleration. By
leveling the track throughout the run, allowed the gravity to be removed so that it would not speed
or slow down the glider.

In run 1 we give a push to the glider. The friction was being reduced the constant acceleration until
it hit the wall toward the end of the run. Between the velocity and the acceleration graph there are
only a few similarities.

While inspecting the graphs we can see that the velocity is consistently increasing at a linear rate.
The difference between the two graphs, while the acceleration is constant, velocity is increasing.
Even though the velocity is the one increasing considering that is distance over time, the constant
acceleration means the distance over time is multiplied.

In run 2 we needed to do the run in the opposite direction. In the graph we can see that the two
graphs are similar to run 1. Since the glider is now going toward the sensor the velocity and the
acceleration are both negative.

Task 01 Up To Down
Run 1
Down To Up
Run 2
We set up the track so that the glider could accelerate up the track, slow down, and change
direction. We thought if we elevated the opposite end of the track, the glider would then travel up
the hill, using gravity to decelerate the glider in order for it to change direction. Run 1 and run 2
differ in the initial push, when the acceleration and velocity are both at zero as the glider starts off
and when it changes direction.

In the beginning velocity and acceleration are both positive, but as gravity slows down the glider
and forces it to change direction the graph then becomes negative.

Task 2

In task 2 we needed to set up the air track in order for the glider to accelerate toward the sensor.
We also needed to set up the spark timer, which is what is recording the movement of the glider
and allowing us to calculate the velocity and acceleration of the glider.

Unable to get the motion diagram of the ticker-tape, recalling as the glider began to accelerate the
dots were close together, but started to spread apart. Toward the end of the run the dots became
more evenly spread out showing that acceleration was constant.

As we measured the marks on the ticker-tape and calculated the velocity and acceleration of the
glider it is showing to be 5 sparks traveled by the glider.
Below are the formulas used to find each.

d
f (x)=Velocity=
t

V f V i
f ( x )= Acceleration= ;
tf ti

Conclusion

By analyzing this experiment, we found the relationship between acceleration, velocity and
displacement that are governed by simple kinematics principal that is acceleration is the derivative
of velocity, which in turn is the derivative of displacement and Vice versa displacement is the
integral of velocity, which in turn is the integral of acceleration:

d ( ) d2
a t = v t = 2 x(t )
( )
dt dt

You might also like