#$&*
PHY 201
Your 'initial timing experiment' report has been received. Scroll down through the document to see any comments I might have inserted, and my final comment at the end.
** Initial Timing Experiment_labelMessages **
** **
Copy this document, from this point to the end, into a word processor or text editor.
Follow the instructions, fill in your data and the results of your analysis in the given format.
Regularly save your document to your computer as you work.
When you have completed your work:
Copy the document into a text editor (e.g., Notepad; but NOT into a word processor or html editor, e.g., NOT into Word or FrontPage).
Highlight the contents of the text editor, and copy and paste those contents into the indicated box at the end of this form.
Click the Submit button and save your form confirmation.
Note: The majority of student report taking less than an hour on this experiment, though a few report significantly longer times.
Take reasonable care to get good data in this experiment. Try to do the timing as accurately as possible. Measurements of length, height, etc. should be reasonably accurate (e.g., with a meter stick or ruler you can measure to withing +- 1 millimeter, but it's not necessary to try to determine fractions of a millimeter).
In this experiment you will use the TIMER program, a hardcover book, the toy car that came in your lab materials package (or, if you do not yet have the package, a cylinder or some other object that will roll along the book in a relatively straight line), and a ruler or the equivalent (if you don't have one, note the Rulers link, which is also given on the Assignments page).
The book's cover should be straight and unbent.
The toy car (or other object) should roll fairly smoothly.
Place the book on a flat level tabletop. You will prop one end of the book up a little bit, so that when it is released the object will roll without your assistance, gradually speeding up, from the propped-up end to the lower end. However don't prop the end up too much. It should take at least two seconds for the ball to roll down the length of the book when it is released from rest. For a typical book, a stack of two or three quarters placed under one end works well.
Using the TIMER program determine how long it takes the ball to roll from one end of the ramp to the other, when released from rest. Once you've got the book set up, it takes only a few seconds to do a timing, so it won't take you long to time the object's motion at least three times.
Determine how far the object travels as it rolls from its initial position (where you first click the timer) to its final position (where you click at the end of the interval). This will probably be a bit less than the length of the book, due to the length of the object itself.
Determine how much higher one end of the book was than the other, and how far it is from the supports (e.g., the stack of quarters, or whatever you used to support one end) to the end of the book which rests on the table.
Then reverse the direction of the book on the tabletop, rotating the book an its supports (e.g., the stack of quarters) 180 degrees so that the ball will roll in exactly the opposite direction. Repeat your measurements.
In the box below describe your setup, being as specific as possible about the book used (title, ISBN) and the object being used (e.g., a can of vegetables (full or empty; should be specified) or a jar (again full or empty); anything round and smooth that will upon release roll fairly slowly down the incline), and what you used to prop the object up (be as specific as possible). Also describe how well the object rolled--did it roll smoothly, did it speed up and slow down, did it roll in a straight line or did its direction change somewhat?
your brief discussion/description/explanation:
I used the Physics textbook for this class. ISBN is 0130606200. I used the large marble provided by the instructor as my object. To prop my textbook up I used one of the dominos provided by the instructor; which was 2 ¾ cm in height. My objected speeded up and didn’t roll extremely straight.
#$&* (note that your answer should always start in one of the blank lines preceding the #$&* mark)
In the space indicated below report your data. State exactly what was measured, how it was measured, how accurately you believe it was measured and of course what the measurements were. Try to organize your report so the reader can easily scan your data and identify any patterns or trends.
your brief discussion/description/explanation:
I used the timer program to measure how long it took for the object to go down the textbook. I measured this three times. I also used the rulers provided by the instructor to measure the height of the object to prop up the textbook. Starting the timer from when the object was released and ending timer when the objected arrived at the end.
1 166.858 166.858
2 169.307 2.449
3 1588.66 1419.353
4 1591.187 2.527
5 1604.322 13.135
6 1605.913 1.591
#$&*
Using your data determine how fast the object was moving, on the average, as it rolled down the incline. Estimate how accurately you believe you were able to determine the object's average speed, and give the best reasons you can for your estimate of the accuracy.
your brief discussion/description/explanation:
The objected seemed to have speeded up as it was going down the incline. It took approximently 3 seconds to arrive at the end. I timed the object as it rolled down in incline.
#$&*
How fast was the object moving at the beginning of the timed interval?
According to your previous calculation, what was its average speed during this interval?
Do you think the object, when it reached the lower end of the book, was moving at a speed greater or less than the average speed you calculated?
your brief discussion/description/explanation:
It started out at a slower speed and then speeded up as it went down the incline. It seemed that the object was moving at a greater speed, due to to was speeding up more and more as it went down.
#$&*
List the following in order, from least to greatest. Indicate 'ties': The object's initial speed, its final speed, its average speed, and the change in its speed as it rolled from one end of the book to the other.
your brief discussion/description/explanation:
1 166.858 166.858
2 169.307 2.449
3 1588.66 1419.353
4 1591.187 2.527
5 1604.322 13.135
6 1605.913 1.591
These were the timings I got each time from measuring the time it took the object to go down the incline.
#$&*
Devise and conduct an experiment to determine whether or not the object is speeding up as it rolls down the incline. If you have set the experiment up as indicated, it should seem pretty obvious that the object is in fact speeding up. But figure out a way to use actual measurements to support your belief.
Explain how you designed and conducted your experiment, give your data and explain how your data support your conclusions.
your brief discussion/description/explanation:
From my experiment that I had setup with the textbook, domino, and the marble; the marble was speeding up as it went down the incline. You could tell this by watching it, but also when I measured it with time and using a watch with it it would show it how much each time as you would stop it at certain points.
#$&*
Your instructor is trying to gauge the typical time spent by students on these experiments. Please answer the following question as accurately as you can, understanding that your answer will be used only for the stated purpose and has no bearing on your grades:
Approximately how long did it take you to complete this experiment?
1 hour
#$&*
You may also include optional comments and/or questions.
#$&*
*#&!*#&!
Your work on this lab exercise looks good. Let me know if you have any questions.