Help with physics lab containing the centripetal acceleration law

In summary, the conversation was about a lab where a string powered whirligig was used to verify the centripetal acceleration law. The purpose of the lab was to calculate the centripetal acceleration and the acceleration of the metal weight. Equations used included a=v^2/r and a=f/m. The student was able to calculate the centripetal acceleration, but not the acceleration of the metal weight. They were stuck because the acceleration of the metal weight involves gravity. They were able to calculate the acceleration by dividing the force on the metal weight by its mass, which resulted in 27.9m/s^2. The conversation also discussed whether a hanging mass can accelerate more than the acceleration of gravity, and it was determined
  • #1
funkimunkeyy
4
0
1. The aim of the lab is to verify the centripetal acceleration law which states that acceleration is equal to the velocity squared divided by the radius. During the lab, we spun a
string powered whirligig. There was a ball at the top, attached to string, the string was threaded through a plastic tube which served as a handle, and there was a metal weight attached to the bottom. The purpose of the lab was to calculate centripetal acceleration and acceleration of the metal weight. I'm not sure if the the acceleration of the weight is acceleration due to gravity though and may need some clarification.



2. these are some of the equations used: a= v squared/ r, pi x d, a= f/m


3. I have managed to work out the centripetal acceleration, but not the acceleration of the metal weight. I know the two accelerations are somehow related, as the acceleration of the metal weight involves gravity, but I'm stuck. please help
 
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  • #2
Did the metal weight accelerate? If so, how?
 
  • #3
yes, the metal weight did accelerate, but i worked out the acceleration by dividing the force on the metal weight by the mass of the ball
 
  • #4
funkimunkeyy said:
yes, the metal weight did accelerate,
Are you saying that the metal weight moved and as it moved its velocity was changing?
but i worked out the acceleration by dividing the force on the metal weight by the mass of the ball
And what number did you get when you did that? What was the force on the metal weight?
 
  • #5
I got 27.9m/s^2 for the acceleration. The force on the metal weight was a tension force
 
  • #6
funkimunkeyy said:
I got 27.9m/s^2 for the acceleration. The force on the metal weight was a tension force
How did you get this number? It is almost three times the acceleration of gravity. Can a hanging mass accelerate more than the acceleration of gravity? I don't think so. The best it can do is 9.8 m/s2 and that's when it is in free fall.

Also, you did not answer my other question, "Did the hanging mass move and did its velocity change as it did so?"
 
  • #7
the acceleration was a centripetal acceleration. yes it moved and it's velocity changed
 
  • #8
funkimunkeyy said:
the acceleration was a centripetal acceleration. yes it moved and it's velocity changed
Did the hanging metal weight go around in a circle? If so, how did you calculate its acceleration? Please show your work.
 

Related to Help with physics lab containing the centripetal acceleration law

1. What is the centripetal acceleration law?

The centripetal acceleration law states that the acceleration of an object moving in a circular path is directed towards the center of the circle and is equal to the square of the object's velocity divided by the radius of the circle.

2. How is centripetal acceleration measured in a lab?

In a lab, centripetal acceleration can be measured using a device called a centripetal force apparatus. This apparatus consists of a rotating platform with a hanging mass that provides the centripetal force, and a sensor that measures the velocity of the rotating object. The acceleration can then be calculated using the formula a=v^2/r.

3. What factors affect centripetal acceleration?

The two main factors that affect centripetal acceleration are the speed of the rotating object and the radius of the circle. The greater the speed or the smaller the radius, the greater the centripetal acceleration will be.

4. How does centripetal acceleration relate to centripetal force?

According to Newton's second law of motion, force is equal to mass times acceleration (F=ma). Therefore, the centripetal force acting on an object in circular motion is equal to the mass of the object times its centripetal acceleration. In other words, the greater the centripetal acceleration, the greater the centripetal force needed to keep the object in its circular path.

5. What are some real-life examples of centripetal acceleration?

Centripetal acceleration can be observed in many everyday activities such as driving around a curved road, swinging a ball on a string, or riding a roller coaster. In all of these situations, the object is constantly changing direction, resulting in a centripetal acceleration towards the center of the circular path.

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