course Phy 241
The bottom of the lab has directions as follows: * Run the data analysis program.
* Click on 'Experiment-Specific Calculations'
* Enter the number for the Ball and Ramp Projectile Experiment.
* When prompted, enter the vertical drop of the second ball.
* When prompted, enter the mean horizontal range observed for the second ball.
* You will be asked for the slope. Enter the slope, and the program will return the corresponding velocity of the ball.
My data analysis program under experiment-specific calculations does not ask for slope. Is there something else I need to download?
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You are correct. I have replaced the last instruction with the following:
Rather than the slope, you will be asked for the 'number of dominoes'. The program uses the number of dominoes to calculate the slope, based on a 30 cm ramp; for small slopes each domino changes the slope of a 30 cm ramp by approximately .03 so if you divide the slope by .03 you get the equivalent number of dominoes (e.g., if the slope is .16 the equivalent number of dominoes is .16 / .03 = 5.33).
If the slope is not small then the number of dominoes can be calculated by dividing the slope by .03, then dividing the result by sqrt( 1 + m^2), where m is the slope.
Let me know if this isn't clear.