Rolling Down Hill -- Again

Rolling Down Hill, Again

What affects acceleration? What effect does a change in the slope have?

Materials

stopwatch
a track section
board with hook
wood block to prop up board
a large ball
cart
force scale

"Acceleration" means "changing velocity."

The change can be in either speed or direction of motion.

Does the steepness of an incline affect acceleration?

1. write in your journal Does the steepness of the incline affect acceleration? To answer that question, decide how to do some simple timing using the two different systems pictured.

Explain how you will determine whether each slope has the same acceleration or different ones.
2. Collect your data and show it in a form that makes it clear.

3. Does the steepness of the slope affect acceleration?

Explain your reasoning: how did you get to your conclusion from your data.

Turn the board over and hang the force scale and the cart from the hook like you did in Activity 3.
Hold the upper end of the board at different heights to remind yourself how the force of the scale pulling on the cart changes as you change the slope.

You measured different forces of the scale on the cart. You did not measure forces on the ball but there are forces on it, too; those forces change just like they do with the cart when you change the slope.

Explain, how are the different forces on the ball at different slopes related to the acceleration of the ball?

Check the box when you are done:

Reading graphs of motion