Sagar Sood

IB Physics Yr. 1
IB Lab Report
Due: 5th Jan, 09
Introduction / Purpose

An object tends to be in motion when there is a change in its

location due to its movement. This change occurs because of a force
applied on it. Motion is typically described in terms of velocity,
acceleration, displacement, and time. An object's velocity (in other
words its motion) cannot change unless it is acted upon by a force, as
described by Newton's first law. In this lab, the type of motion that is
dealt with is linear motion. Linear motion is the motion of an object in
a straight line.

All objects possess energy. Energy is the stored form of work in

an object. In this case, the cart also stores energy in it when it is at
rest in the form of potential energy. Potential energy is the energy
stored by an object by the virtue of its position at different heights.
More the height, more the potential energy. The energy possessed by
an object in motion is known as kinetic energy. In this case, the cart
possesses kinetic energy while moving down the plane. It is related by
the velocity of an object as well as its mass. If either one of these
increases, the kinetic energy also increases. The relationship between
kinetic energy and potential energy is that as the potential energy
decreases (the horizontal positioning of an object), the kinetic energy
increases.

In this investigation, the cart will be placed at different angles of

the inclined plane. As the height would increase the cart will be
dropped without any applied force on it and a photogate on the plane
will measure the time taken for the 0.050m±0.001m side of the car. In
this lab, the angle of the inclined plane would be increased, hence
being the independent/manipulated variable. The velocity of the cart
will depend on the height, hence being the dependant/responding
variable. A number of factors like the applied force on the cart (0 N),
mass of the cart, friction on the inclined plane, distance of the ramp
and distance at which the photogate will be placed will be kept
constant, hence being the controlled variables. These controlled
variables, if changed, can directly affect the motion of the cart, hence
changing the velocity.

The main purpose of this experiment is to find the one factor

that affects the motion of the cart on the inclined plane. In this lab,
the angle of the inclined plane will be the one factor that will be
changed, hence affecting the motion of the cart.

Hypothesis

As the angle of the inclined plane will be increased, the height

would also increase. This would increase the velocity of the cart moving
down the plane. This would happen because as the height would
increase the potential energy of the cart would also increase.
As the potential energy would increase, the cart would have more
energy stored in it which would be converted in the form of kinetic
energy. As kinetic energy is related by the mass and the velocity of an
object, the time taken for the cart’s motion would decrease, hence
increasing the velocity of the cart (mass of the cart is kept constant).

Design
Materials Required

 Photogate(±0.0001s)
 Meter stick (±0.001m)
 Cart
 Inclined Plane(1m±0.01m)
 Stand
 Protractor(±1°)

Procedure

1. When all the materials are acquired, set up the apparatus as the
figure below.

2. Measure
the angle
of the
inclined
plane
with the
help of
the
protractor.
(In our case,
the first
angle is
12°±1°)

3. Measure the length of the side of the car.(in our case it was
0.050±0.001m)
4. Set the photogate at almost 2/3 rd the way down the ramp and
note the point at which it is set.(in our case, it was set at
0.50m±0.01m)
 5. Put the car at the top of the inclined plane and set the
photogate at zero.
6. Without any applied force, release the cart and let it move all the
way down the ramp.
7. Record the time in the timer of the photogate and set the
photogate to zero again.
8. Without changing the position of the photogate on the ramp,
repeat the steps 4, 5 and 6 two more times in order to get 3
trials.
9. After measuring 3 trials for the first data point move on to the
next by changing the angle of the ramp(fix the ramp in the next
possible hole of the stand, in our case the next data point was
17°±1°)
10. In total measure down 6 data points with 3 trials each.

Data collection

The table below shows the time taken for the 0.05cm side of the
car to pass through the photogate at different angles of the inclined
plane.

Angle of Time elapsed(s) Average Uncertaint

time(s) y
the Trail 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
ramp(°) (±
s)
12 0. 0405 0. 0407 0.040 8 0. 0407 0.002
17 0.0 331 0. 0334 0.0 331 0.0 332 0.002
 22 0. 0285 0. 0287 0.02 84 0.02 85 0.002
30 0. 0244 0.0242 0.0243 0.0243 0.001
36 0.0225 0. 0222 0. 0222 0. 0222 0.002
42 0.02 07 0.02 06 0.02 07 0.02 07 0.001
± 1° ± 0.0001  ±0.002

Angle of Average Velocity Uncertainty Instantaneous Uncertainty

-1 -1 -1
the ramp time (ms ) (±ms ) Velocity (±ms )
-1
( °) (s) (ms )
12 0.0407 1.2 0.03 2.5 0.1
17 0.0332 1.5 0.04 3.0 0.1
22 0.0285 1.7 0.04 3.5 0.2
30 0.0243 2.0 0.05 4.1 0.2
36 0.0222 2.3 0.05 4.5 0.2
42 0.0207 2.4 0.06 4.8 0.3
± 1° ±0.0002  0.05  0.2

With help of the average time, the velocity of the cart is found
and shown below in the table.

Data processing

 In all cases Data Point 1(12 °±1 °) has been taken into
account

Average Time= Sum of trials / Number of trials

= (0.0405+0.0407+0.0408) / 3
 = 0.0406666667

= 0.0407s

Uncertainty of average = (Largest number. – Smallest number) / 2

= (0.0408 – 0.0405) / 2

= 0.00015

= ±0.0002

= 0.0407s ± 0.0002s

As shown in the data table, the uncertainty is taken to be 0.002s.

This is calculated my taking out the average of all the trials and
data points.
(0.002 + 0.002 + 0.002 + 0.001 + 0.002 + 0.001) / 6
= 0.002s

Velocity = Distance / Time

= (Side of car) / (Time)
= (0.050m) / (0.0407s)
-1
= 1.2 ms

Instantaneous Velocity =
[(Distance of the car side / Time elapsed) / Distance of the position of
the photogate]
= (0.050m / 0.0407s) / (0.50m)
OR
= (0.050m / 0.0407s) X 2
(Velocity X 2 = Inst. velocity)

= 2.457002487

-1
= 2.5 ms

Uncertainty = [(±0.001m) (±0.0002s)] / (±0.01)

=> [(±0.001m) (±0.0002s)]

= (Uncertainty #1) + (Uncertainty #2) X 100

(Value 1) (Value 2)

= (0.001) + (0.0002)
X 100
(0.050m) (0.0407s)

= 2.49 %

-1
= 2.49 % of 1.23ms
= 0.030601
-1
= ±0.03 ms ………………………………………….
(Uncertainty for velocity)

-1
Uncertainty for Inst. Velocity = (± 0.03 ms ) /
(±0.01)

= (0.03) + (0.01)
X 100
 -1
(1.23 ms ) (0.50m)

= 4.44 %
-1
= 4.44 % of 2.5ms
= 0.1109756098
= ±0.1
-1 -1
= 2.5 ms ± 0.1 ms

Uncertainties of other data points = 0.1+ 0.1 + 0.2 + 0.2 + 0.2 + 0.3

6
= 0.1833333
= ±0.2………………………. (Average uncertainty)
Slope of the Graph = Rise / Run

= (36.5 – 12) / (4.8 – 2.5)

= (24.5 / 2.3)

-2
= 10.7 ms (Value of acceleration due to
-2
gravity = 9.8 ms )

Percent Error = [{Theoretical Value – Calculated Value} / Theoretical

Value] x 100

= [(9.8 – 10.7) / 9.8] x 100

= 9.2 % Error

CONCLUSION
 Overall the experiment was carried out with minimum errors.
There were six data points with three trials each. The investigation was
carried out as stated in the procedure. The experiment was related to
find one factor that affects the motion of a cart on an inclined plane.
The factor used in my experiment was the increase in angle of the
inclined plane (or the height of the ramp). The data and the graph
clearly show that as the angle/height of the ramp increases the
velocity of the cart increases as well. This means that they are directly
proportional.

In my experiment the angle of the ramp was increased which

increased the height of the ramp. As the height increased the potential
energy of the cart increased as the main factor in potential energy is
the height. This energy was further transformed into kinetic energy or
the energy of motion. In other words as the height increased, the
potential energy increased which furthermore increased the kinetic
energy. As kinetic energy is directly linked to the velocity of an object,
it is safe to say that as the kinetic energy increased, the velocity of
the cart increased. This proves my hypothesis correct.

Evaluation

As it can be seen from the graph and the data table that there
were some errors in the investigation. The percent error that was
calculated to be 9.18 % assures the fact that there were flaws in my
experiment. One big error was that the whole ramp setup was never
flat and straight. Because of this, the car was at different heights
hence having different potential energy and furthermore changing the
velocity of the cart. Also, it was almost never that the cart left the top
of the ramp without an applied force. This changed the velocity of the
cart hence altering the values in the data table. Also, during the
experiment a couple of times, the cart slammed into the photogate.
This changed the position of the photogate by a centimeter or two.
This hence gave different values of the time which later changed the
values of the calculated instantaneous velocity.

Self-improvement

The above errors can be improved by a number of precautions.

Before starting the experiment the ramp should be completely flat and
straight, a ruler should be used to align if necessary. Even during the
experiment, it should be made sure that the ramp is aligned as after
each trial the high speed of the cart changes the alignment. Also it
should be made sure that the cart leaves the top of the ramp without
any applied force. The hand should be perfectly still before leaving the
cart so that the cart does not experience exerted force. The position of
the photogate should always be noted down and even if the cart slams
into the photogate, it should be positioned back to the same point and
the trial should be re-done.