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Ball Down Ramp ___ is motion s
1.5625, 1.765625
1.5, 1.828125
1.59375, 1.984375
1.7434375, 2.046875
1.546875, 1.859375
1.40625, 1.3125
1.05, 1.40625
1.203125, 1.453125
1.359375, 1.3125
1.28125, 1.40625
1.875, 1.5625
0.921875, 1.203125
1.0625, 1.109375
1.0625, 1.109375
1.078125, 1.078125
This is a list of all the intervals in seconds of a ball traveling
12 cm down a ramp. The first number is the corresponds to the ramp
with the right side raised, and the second number corresponds
to the ramp with the left side raised.
I had expected the right and left motions to be symmetric if the surface was level, but
acknowledged that several of my floors are not. If the surface was level, and all other factors were made equal, there would be no reason for the motion to vary from one side to the other. I did not switch hands when switching sides, in order to avoid any possible discrepancy from “handedness”. I also checked the placement of the ramp, domino(es) and bracket before each trial.
1.34977, 1.49583
These are the calculated average velocities for the right raised and
left raised ramps, respectively. These velocities suggest that the surface
was not level and magnified the effect of raising the right side of the
ramp.
In order to test this hypothesis, I placed a level on the surface the ramp had been placed on. I expected the air bubble to move slightly to the right. The bubble moved slightly to the left. I verified that the level was touching the surface along its length, and that the surface was clean.
Another factor that could affect the symmetry of the motion is the shape of the ramp. I placed the ramp on the surface, then the level on the ramp. In one direction, the bubble was exactly centered. In the other direction, the bubble moved slightly to the left. In order to verify the ramp was slightly distorted, I looked for light passing under it. With the ramp on the surface, at eye level, there was a very small amount of light visible under only one side of the ramp.
Having a ramp that is not symmetrical results in acceleration that is not constant and varies from one direction to the other. I don’t know if that slight distortion was sufficient to cause the difference in motions for the right and left raised ramps in my experiment.
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