Physics Motion Lab
Experiment 1.7: Graphical Analysis of Motion
Introduction
To graphically analyze motion, two graphs are commonly used: Displacement vs. Time and Velocity vs. Time. These two graphs provide significant information about motion including distance/displacement, speed/velocity, and acceleration. The displacement and acceleration of a moving body can be obtained from its Velocity vs. Time graph by respectively finding the area and the slope of the graph.
Data Tables – Part I
Displacement (m) Time (s)
0.10 m 0.37 s
0.20 m 0.586 s
0.30 m 0.761 s
0.40 m 0.907 s
0.50 m 1.041 s
0.60 m 1.147 s
0.70 m 1.263 s
0.80 m 1.351 s
0.90 m 1.439 s
1.00 m 1.597 s
1.10 m 1.646 s
1.20 m 1.779 s
1.30 m 1.956 s
Part II
Main Photogate at __(m) Time (s) Instantaneous Velocity (m/s)
0.30 m 0.098 s 0.41 m/s
0.40 m 0.072 s 0.55 m/s
0.50 m 0.06 s 0.67 m/s
0.60 m 0.053 s 0.75 m/s
0.70 m 0.047 s 0.85 m/s
0.80 m 0.043 s 0.93 m/s
0.90 m 0.042 s 0.95 m/s
1.00 m 0.038 s 1.05 m/s
1.10 m 0.038 s 1.05 m/s
1.20 m 0.041 s 0.98 m/s
1.30 m 0.049 s 0.82 m/s
1.40 m 0.05 s 0.8 m/s
1.50 m 0.055 s 0.72 m/s
Part III
Estimated area
Velocity vs. Time graph
From t=0s to t=0.8s
0.49 m
Slope @ T= 0.8 s
Displacement vs. Time
= 0.6 m/s
Velocity vs. Time
= 0.3 m/s2
(Work shown on graph paper)
Summary Questions
1) Describe the meaning of the slopes of the graphs you obtained in Part III.
The slope of the Displacement vs. Time graph (0.6 m/s) represents the velocity of the moving cart at 0.8 seconds. The slope of the Velocity vs. Time graph (0.3 m/s2) represents the acceleration of the moving cart at 0.8 seconds.
2) Describe the motion of the cart based on your result from the Velocity vs. Time graph. Based on the Velocity vs. Time graph, the cart is decelerating because the slope decreases as time passes and the slope represents acceleration/deceleration in a Velocity vs. Time graph.
3)
Introduction
To graphically analyze motion, two graphs are commonly used: Displacement vs. Time and Velocity vs. Time. These two graphs provide significant information about motion including distance/displacement, speed/velocity, and acceleration. The displacement and acceleration of a moving body can be obtained from its Velocity vs. Time graph by respectively finding the area and the slope of the graph.
Data Tables – Part I
Displacement (m) Time (s)
0.10 m 0.37 s
0.20 m 0.586 s
0.30 m 0.761 s
0.40 m 0.907 s
0.50 m 1.041 s
0.60 m 1.147 s
0.70 m 1.263 s
0.80 m 1.351 s
0.90 m 1.439 s
1.00 m 1.597 s
1.10 m 1.646 s
1.20 m 1.779 s
1.30 m 1.956 s
Part II
Main Photogate at __(m) Time (s) Instantaneous Velocity (m/s)
0.30 m 0.098 s 0.41 m/s
0.40 m 0.072 s 0.55 m/s
0.50 m 0.06 s 0.67 m/s
0.60 m 0.053 s 0.75 m/s
0.70 m 0.047 s 0.85 m/s
0.80 m 0.043 s 0.93 m/s
0.90 m 0.042 s 0.95 m/s
1.00 m 0.038 s 1.05 m/s
1.10 m 0.038 s 1.05 m/s
1.20 m 0.041 s 0.98 m/s
1.30 m 0.049 s 0.82 m/s
1.40 m 0.05 s 0.8 m/s
1.50 m 0.055 s 0.72 m/s
Part III
Estimated area
Velocity vs. Time graph
From t=0s to t=0.8s
0.49 m
Slope @ T= 0.8 s
Displacement vs. Time
= 0.6 m/s
Velocity vs. Time
= 0.3 m/s2
(Work shown on graph paper)
Summary Questions
1) Describe the meaning of the slopes of the graphs you obtained in Part III.
The slope of the Displacement vs. Time graph (0.6 m/s) represents the velocity of the moving cart at 0.8 seconds. The slope of the Velocity vs. Time graph (0.3 m/s2) represents the acceleration of the moving cart at 0.8 seconds.
2) Describe the motion of the cart based on your result from the Velocity vs. Time graph. Based on the Velocity vs. Time graph, the cart is decelerating because the slope decreases as time passes and the slope represents acceleration/deceleration in a Velocity vs. Time graph.
3)