Students are using the experimental setup shown in the image in which the two ends of a string are attached to a car and to a hanger. The students conduct three trials in which they place metal discs on the hanger to manipulate the force applied to the car. As a result, the car accelerates along the table while two probes collect motion data.

Question

Students are using the experimental setup shown in the image in which the two ends of a string are attached to a car and to a hanger. The students conduct three trials in which they place metal discs on the hanger to manipulate the force applied to the car. As a result, the car accelerates along the table while two probes collect motion data.

On the fourth trial of this experiment, a student places some discs on the car by mistake. In 1-2 sentences, explain how this would this change the acceleration or velocity?

Answer 1

Placing discs on the car by mistake would increase the mass of the car, which would result in a decrease in acceleration and a decrease in velocity.

Answer 2

Placing discs on the car instead of the hanger would increase the mass of the car, which would result in a decrease in acceleration and a decrease in velocity.

Answer 3

Placing discs on the car in the fourth trial would increase the mass of the car, which would result in a decrease in acceleration and a decrease in velocity.