Rolling Race
How does weight affect acceleration?
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| Does the big ball win? | Or the little one? |
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Materials
Does the weight of a ball affect how fast it rolls?
Prop one end of the board so that it is about 15-20 cm high. Lay two tracks side-by-side on your sloped board.
1. Practice releasing two identical balls at the same time. Make several trials and develop a method for release so that they arrive at the end of the ramps at the same time.
| *Are the motions the same or very different? | the same | very different |
| *Are the final speeds the same or very different? | the same | very different |
| *Are the accelerations the same or very different? | the same | very different |
2. What will happen in the "ball race" when you use two
different weights
of balls? Will one get there much faster than the other? Or will they both get
there at about the same time?
| the same | very different |
After making your prediction, get another metal sphere that is a different size from the first spheres you used.
3. Test your prediction by releasing two different balls at the same time. Compare their motions.
| *Are the motions the same or very different? | the same | very different |
| *Are the final speeds the same or very different? | the same | very different |
| *Are the accelerations the same or very different? | the same | very different |
4. What can you conclude from this activity about the effect that weight
has on the acceleration of a ball rolling down a hill?
Outline of the Course on Force and Motion