Investigating Centripetal Force:

The Relationship between Frequency vs. Force

Data:

# of Washers Trial 1 Period Trial 2 Period Trial 3 Period

(s/10 cycle) (s/10 cycle) (s/10 cycle)
5 6.63 6.63 6.51
6 6.08 6.44 6.26
7 5.42 6.11 5.59
8 6.05 5.27 4.90
9 5.09 5.11 5.05
10 4.99 5.17 4.81
11 4.81 4.35 4.69
12 4.26 4.38 4.39
13 4.30 4.75 4.51
14 4.42 4.17 3.78

# of Washers Average Period (s/10 cycle)

5 6.59
6 6.26
7 5.71
8 5.41
9 5.08
10 4.99
11 4.62
12 4.34
13 4.52
14 4.12

Data Process:
I averaged each of my data sets for number of washers from 5-
14. And for my uncertainties, I found the range between the max
and min of each data set and divided it by 2.
 6.63+6.63+6.44 = 6.59
3
(6.63-6.44)/2 ≈ 0.093

6.59±0.093 ≈ 6.59±0.01

Then I found the frequency by inversing my period. For my

uncertainties for frequency, I used the same amount of uncertainties
as I did for my period.
T = cycle/s
f = s/cycle = T-1
Fin= (m4π2r) (1/T2)
Fin= (m4π 2r) f2

Force (# of Washers) Average Frequency (10 cycles/s)

±0.01
5 0.15
6 0.16
7 0.18
8 0.18
9 0.20
10 0.20
11 0.22
12 0.23
13 0.22
14 0.24

In order to straighten the graph I square rooted my force.

Fin= (m4π 2r) f2
Fin1/2= (m4π 2r) ½ f
(Fin/ m4π 2r) ½=f
 Force1/2 (# of Washers) Average Frequency (10 cycles/s)
√5 0.15
√6 0.16
√7 0.18
√8 0.18
√9 0.20
√10 0.20
√11 0.22
√12 0.23
√13 0.22
√14 0.24

Conclusion:
In this lab, I was looking for the relationship of the inward force
of an object (rubber stopper) as it was spinning for a limited number
of revolutions. I did this by making the number of washers (each
washer being 7 grams) my independent variable and keeping the
radius of the string, mass of stopper, mass of washers, and number of
revolution as my controlled variables.
My data shows me that the inward force of the rubber stopper
is directly proportional to the f2. In order to straighten my data on the
graph so to figure out what my slope represented, I square rooted
both F and f2. For my slope I got 0.05860. My slope represents my
controlled variables of this specific experiment such as the radius and
mass of the stopper. This slope can vary widely depending on what
the radius and mass of the stopper is.
My graph does fit through the error bars and it theoretically
should go through the origin because if there is no inward force, there
would not be frequency. But my graph shows that it does not go
through the origin. I believe my range of data was sufficient enough
to conclude that the lighter inward force an object has as it is
spinning, the lower its frequency will be. And as the inward force
increases, the frequency will also increase as well but as the inward
force reaches infinity, the slope of frequency will reach 0 making
frequency be a constant.

Evaluation:
I do not believe that my data has systematic error. My data
does go through all my error bars even though at √13 it barely goes
through. My one major uncertainty in this lab was at √13