Newton's 3 Laws Lab: Solving Problems on Inclined Plane

[Kandycat]

I am doing a lab report for a lab I did in class. The lab is about sliding a mass (in this case a book) down an inclined plane. I collected the data and calculated the acceleration for the mass if it fall at 90 degrees. I have to do an analysis but I having some trouble answering these questions.

1. When I found the acceleration for the mass when it slides down at a 90 degree angle to be 16.9 m/s². The acceleration of gravity of is 9.8 m/s². So why isn't this the value of 9.8 m/s²? Is it because 16.9 m/s² is the weight?

2. How do I find net force on a mass on an inclined plane? I'm pretty sure I have to use Newton's 2nd Law equation: F = ma. But do I use 9.8 m/s² or 16.9 m/s² for a?

 

[Irid]

Clearly the acceleration can't be 16.9m/s^2. Could you please post your measurement data and the equations used to obtain this value? They must contain an error somewhere.

 

[baba89]

Hello! It's great to hear that you are conducting a lab on Newton's 3 Laws, specifically focusing on solving problems on an inclined plane. In response to your questions:

1. The acceleration you calculated of 16.9 m/s2 is not the acceleration of gravity (9.8 m/s2) because it is the acceleration of the mass down the inclined plane, not the acceleration due to gravity. The acceleration due to gravity is a constant value for all objects near the Earth's surface, regardless of their shape or orientation. In this case, the inclined plane is acting as a ramp, allowing the book to slide down at a faster rate than if it were dropped straight down. This results in a higher acceleration value.

2. To find the net force on a mass on an inclined plane, you will indeed use Newton's 2nd Law equation, F=ma. The key is to use the acceleration value that you calculated for the mass sliding down the plane (16.9 m/s2) as the acceleration (a) in the equation. This is because the acceleration of the mass down the plane is due to the net force acting on it, which includes the force of gravity (9.8 m/s2) and any other forces acting on the mass, such as friction. So, in summary, use the acceleration value you calculated for the mass down the plane, and not the acceleration due to gravity, in the F=ma equation.

I hope this helps to clarify your questions. Keep up the good work in your lab experiments and always make sure to carefully analyze your data and ask questions to deepen your understanding of the concepts.