Additional Notes on 2B: Investigating the Motion of Objects in the Laboratory

A variety of methods are used in the laboratory for investigating the motion of objects. The choice of method is
often determined by various factors for example, the size of the objectect to be investigated and its likely speed
are all factor that may influence the choice of method used. Although a variety of methods are available most of
the apparatus works on the principle that the measurement of speed or velocity is often carried out by measuring
a distance and dividing by the corresponding time.
Below are three common apparatus that are commonly used to investigate the motion of the object that you must
be familiar with in your your A-level physics course.
Ticker-Timer
A paper tape is attached to the moving object to be studied. As the
object moves it pulls a paper tape through the timer. The timer then
prints dots on the tape at equal time intervals. The result is a series of
dots on the tape representing the position of the object at various
instants in time.
From the dots on the tape, the distance travelled in each time interval
can be directly measured. The average speed of the object for each time
interval can then be calculated.
Tapemovedinthisdirection

Figure 1.2 A ticker tape. In this case, the space between successive dots
increases as the tape moves through the ticker timer, indicating that the speed
of the object increases.

Consider the ticker tape shown in Figure 1.2. Suppose the time makes
50 dots each second, so the time interval between 2 successive dots is
1
second. Measurements can then can be made for distance between
50
the dots using a metre rule to find velocity or acceleration.
Below shows how average velocity and
Distance between A and B
0.02 s
= v1

Average velocity between dots A and B =

Distance between C and D

0.02 s
= v2

Average velocity between dots C and D =

Furthermore, we can make an estimate of the average acceleration of

the motion by taking:
Average acceleration =

v v
v v
Change in velocity
= 2 1 = 2 1
Time Taken
6 0.02 s 0.12 s

Figure 1.1 A typical ticker tape timer

which can be connected to an external
electrical circuit.
Youtube video on how a ticker tape
timer works:
https://youtu.be/8dhsuOn90PM

Photogates
A photogate is also known as a light gate which is another device
commonly used in studying the motion of objects is photogate. A
photogate is actually made up of two parts, a emitter (of a usually a
beam of light) and a receiver, and it works by triggering a external timer
on or off when the beam of light is blocked.

Some photogates are standalone devices that will integrate with a

computer or datalogger. In those cases, you can not only set the
photogates to trigger the start or stop of timing when the beams are
blocked. You can also set photogates to measure the time interval that
the beam is blocked as an object of a given physical size blocks the
beam.
In doing the writeup in planning question, it is important that you and
elaborate how you are going get the timings that you want with the
photogates. You must also remember to connect the photogates to an
electronic timer or datalogger.
Below shows a typical setup using 2 pairs of photogates connected to
an external timer to investigate the average speed of cart. (Figure 1.3)
A

Emitter

Receiver

Figure 1.4 A light gate consists of a light

source (emitter) and a detector (receiver).
The light gate may be connected to an
electronic timer or to a datalogger which
is connected to a computer which can be
triggered to start or stop timing when the
light beam is blocked.

Youtube video links on use of

Photogates:

1. Using 2 photogates to determine

time for a ball to roll down a ramp.
https://youtu.be/AzDjp3ifDek
2. Using a single photogate to
determine the time which an extended
dart takes to travel through the gate.
https://youtu.be/kJMPfhIpOX4

connectedtotimer

Figure 1.3 Photogates used to investigate the average velocity of a cart.

Two pair of photogates are placed a distance of x apart. Gate A is used

to trigger the an electronic timer to start timing when it is blocked and
Gate B is used to trigger the same electronic timer to stop timing when
it is blocked. The time indicated on the electronic timer is therefore,
the time taken for the cart to travel between the 2 gates. Using a metre
rule to measure the distance between the photogates, the average speed
of the cart when it travels between the 2 gates can then by found by
Average velocity =

Distance between the light gates

x
=
Time to travel between the light gates t

The same setup above may be modified to record the speed of the cart
by using one photogate and connecting the photogate to a datalogger to
measure the time in which the gate is blocked.

Speed of the cart =

Length of cart
Time interval which the photogate is blocked

The length of the cart will can then be measured using a metre rule or a
vernier calliper where appropriate.

Mutiflash Photograph

A mutiflash photograph is also known as a stroboscopic photograph or

a multi-exposure photograph. In a multiflash photo, a moving subject
is illuminated by successive flashes of light, spaced equally in time. A
snapshot of the motion illuminated at this fixed interval is then captured
on a photograph. If the scale for distance is provided we can then make
quantitative measurements from the photograph. Figure 1.5 shows a
multiflash photo of an apple dropped from rest. If we know the time
interval between each exposure and the scale of the photo we can take
measurements off the photos to analyse the motion of the apple during
the fall.

Video Analysis

In recent years, with advancements in technology, we can capture the

video footage of motion with a video camera. If we know the numbers
of frames per unit time, then we know the time interval between each
frame. If we further know the relationship between the pixel size and
distance, we can also easily find the speed. This can be easily
accomplished by using a metre stick as a calibration length in the
footage.
The motion can then be easily analysed using a video analysis
programme (either VideoPhysics by Vernier Software) or Tracker.
In the software, you will mark out the positions of the object you are
trying to analyse during each frame, set the calibration length and then
the software will help you work out the distance-time graphs, velocitytime graph and the acceleration-time graph.

Figure 1.5A multiflash photo of an apple

dropped from rest. (copyrights : Loren
Winters)