Newton's Second Law Lab
10/12/2012
Average % error: (-99.99+-84.87+-82.61+-76.65+-40.673)/5 = -76.9
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Click to download % error calculation.
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Analysis of Error: Some sources of error that could have affected the acceleration are un-precise tools,friction, air resistance, air coming from the air conditioner, and mass of the string. These factors were not taken into consideration and could have affected the acceleration. The first trial had the largest error, while the fifth trial has the least percentage error. In trial 1, the hanging mass was 0.05 kg, while in the fifth trial, the hanging mass is 0.6 kg, so the hanging mass also affects the percent error because factors such as the mass of the string would not matter very much when the hanging mass is larger. To reduce the percent error, we can try to eliminate other forces such as the air coming from the air conditioner, avoid using very small hanging mass, and take other factors such as the the force of friction and the air resistance into consideration.
Reflection: This lab helped me understand the net force equation and I learned that we should use sum of the masses to calculate the acceleration of the whole system. I also learned that the tensions between the car and the hanging mass are equal and opposite, so they cancel out.