Experiment 1: Application of Newton’s Laws of Motion

Topics: position, time, distance, displacement, velocity, uniform acceleration

Group Members:

Program, Year and Section:

Group Number: Date Performed: Date Submitted:

Learning Objectives:
1. Differentiate contact and noncontact forces
2. Distinguish mass and weight
3. Identify action-reaction pairs
4. Draw free-body diagrams
5. Apply Newton’s 1st law to obtain quantitative and qualitative conclusions about the
contact and noncontact forces acting on a body in equilibrium
6. Differentiate the properties of static friction and kinetic friction
7. Compare the magnitude of sought quantities such as frictional force, normal force,
threshold angles for sliding, acceleration, etc.
8. Apply Newton’s 2nd law and kinematics to obtain quantitative and qualitative
conclusions about the velocity and acceleration of one or more bodies, and the contact
and noncontact forces acting on one or more bodies
9. Analyze the effect of fluid resistance on moving object
10. Plan and execute an experiment involving forces (e.g., force table, friction board, and
terminal velocity) and identifying discrepancies between theoretical expectations and
experimental results when appropriate

Materials:
inclined plane, cart, set of mass, meterstick or ruler, friction block, string, video analyzer

Procedure:
A. Semi-Atwood’s Machine
1. Set-up the mechanical system shown in figure 1.1 by hanging a 50g slotted mass and
placing the remaining masses at the top of the trolley. Make sure that the string is
parallel to the plane as it passes through the pulley.
2. Assign a group member that will hold the trolley and another member that will catch it
after passing the 30-cm mark of travel.
3. Time elapsed measurement: Starts taking a video of the system using your smart phone
camera, then release the trolley. The time elapsed is the difference between the time
the end part of the trolley leaves the 0-cm mark and the time it reached the 30-cm mark.
Record the data in their respective table.

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 4. Conduct three trials in each set-up for both Tables 1.1 and 1.2. For Table 1.1, the set-up
is varied by reducing the mass placed in the trolley and transferring this mass to the
slotted mass. For Table 1.2, the set-up is varied by reducing the mass of the trolley and
not adding it to slotted mass.
5. Complete the table by evaluating the experimental acceleration, theoretical
acceleration and percentage error of each set-up of both cases.

Figure 1.1: Semi-Atwood’s Machine Experimental Set-up

B. Static Friction
1. Place the friction block near one end of the inclined plane. Elevate this end gradually
and stop the increase of elevation when the block starts to slides down the plane.
Measure the height and the base of the plane. Make three trials and record the average
base and height in Table 1.3.
2. For Set-ups 2 and 3, repeat step 1 by adding increased mass on the friction block.
3. Compute the coefficient of friction using the equation: μs = height/base

Figure 1.2: Inclined Plane Method for determining the coefficient of static friction

4. Attach the dynamometer to the friction block, pull the dynamometer and read the force
F which impends the block from moving. This is equal to the static friction.
5. Repeat by adding mass on the block.

Figure 1.3: Drag Method for determining the coefficient of static friction

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Data and Observations:
Attach additional 8.5” x 11” bond paper to show your computations.

Table 1.1: Acceleration of the Semi-Atwood’s Machine with Constant Mass

Set 1 Set 2 Set 3
Mass of Lighter Body, (kg)

Mass of Heavier Body, (kg)

Displacement, (m)

Average time, (s) (for 3 trials)

Experimental Value
Acceleration
Accepted Value
(m/s2)
Percentage Error (%)

Table 1.2: Acceleration of the Semi-Atwood’s Machine under Constant Net Force
Set 1 Set 2 Set 3
Mass of Lighter Body, (kg)

Mass of Heavier Body, (kg)

Displacement, (m)

Average time, (s) (for 3 trials)

Experimental Value
Acceleration
Accepted Value
(m/s2)
Percentage Error (%)

Table 1.3: Coefficient of Static Friction

Mass of Friction Height Base Static Coefficient of Static Friction Percentage
Block (kg) (cm) (cm) Friction (N) by inclined plane by drag Deviation (%)

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Guide Questions:
1. Identify the external forces acting on each mass of the two mechanical systems (semi-
Atwood’s machine and friction block in an inclined plane). Classify them as contact force
and non-contact force.

2. What are the differences between a mass and a weight? Give at least three differences.

3. What are the action-reaction pairs of forces in the two mechanical systems?

4. Draw the free-body diagrams of the two mechanical systems.

5. Based on Newton’s Second Law of Motion (Law of Acceleration), what is the cause of
the acceleration of the masses of the semi-Atwood’s machine? How can we reduce the
acceleration of this mechanical system?

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6. What are the possible causes of the error in this experiment?

7. How can we make the Semi-Atwood’s Machine undergo terminal velocity? What are the
possible considerations?

8. How is Newton’s First Law of Motion (Law of Inertia) being applied in determining the
coefficient of static friction between the block and the inclined plane?

9. What is the precision of your measured value of the coefficient of static friction? Why is
it necessary that its numerical value is always less than 1?

Conclusion and Recommendation:

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