Relationships between position, velocity, acceleration, and time are studied. This lab focuses on the one dimensional case where each quantity can be considered as a scalar. Acceleration is also taken to be constant.
Newton's 1st Law is investigated. The apparatus consists of a force table, and a set of movable pulleys with weights. A string is attached to a small ring at the top of the table which is centered with a pin.
Students measure the period of a revolving weight and use the information to calculate angular velocity and compare the centripetal force with the force of gravity.
In this experiment students measure the speed of a projectile by a kinematic method and also by the use of a ballistic pendulum. The latter method illustrates the use of conservation of energy and momentum.
Students will investigate how the pressure between a given quantity of gas in a fixed volume varies with temperature. This linear relationship between pressure and temperature is extrapolated to zero pressure. The temperature at which this occurs is absolute zero.
In this experiment, students determine the amount of work done, measure the temperature rise of a drum, and calculate the amount of heat that would produce the same temperature rise.
