Imagine you are going on a family trip, and your parents ask you to load the luggage onto the car’s roof rack. The luggage sits on the porch, and has inertia: it will not move until you apply enough force to move it. You decide to overcome the inertia of the luggage and load the car.
Now you are off on your trip. As the car speeds down the road toward your destination, your dad asks you why there are luggage straps still in the back seat. Just as you realize why, a dog runs across the road and your dad slams on the brakes. The dog manages to escape, but the luggage flies forward off the roof rack, landing far ahead of the car on the road. You again recall the law of inertia: an object in motion (like luggage on a speeding car) will stay in motion unless acted upon by a sufficient force (provided by luggage straps). As your dad fumes, you explain Newton’s first law to him to divert his attention.
Step 1: Devise an experiment to demonstrate Newton’s first law. Write the steps of your experiment. Step 2: Determine the types of data you will gather and what tools of measurement will be used to collect the data. Make a list of the data sections or tables. List the tools or devices used to make measurements. Student Guide (continued) Step 3: Gather materials and set up your experiment. Include a sketch of your experimental setup. Step 4: Run your experiment. Record your data and observations in the space below
Step 1: Devise an experiment to demonstrate Newton’s first law. Write the steps of your experiment.
1. Place a smooth, flat surface on a horizontal table.
2. Place a polished wooden block on the smooth surface.
3. Attach a spring-loaded launcher to one end of the wooden block.
4. Set up a motion detector adjacent to the wooden block.
5. Connect the motion detector to a computer to collect data.
6. Set the launcher to a specific angle and position the wooden block at the end of the launcher.
7. Apply a consistent force to the launcher to launch the wooden block horizontally.
8. Observe and record the motion of the wooden block.
Step 2: Determine the types of data you will gather and what tools of measurement will be used to collect the data. Make a list of the data sections or tables. List the tools or devices used to make measurements.
Data Sections:
1. Time
2. Distance
3. Velocity
Tools/Devices:
1. Motion detector - to measure the position of the wooden block over time.
2. Computer - to collect and record the data from the motion detector.
Step 3: Gather materials and set up your experiment. Include a sketch of your experimental setup.
Materials:
1. Smooth, flat surface
2. Polished wooden block
3. Spring-loaded launcher
4. Motion detector
5. Computer
Experimental Setup Sketch:
```
-------------------------
| |
| |
| Spring-loaded |
| Launcher |
|-----------------------|
| |
| Smooth Surface |
|-----------------------|
| |
| Motion |
| Detector |
| |
-------------------------
```
Step 4: Run your experiment. Record your data and observations in the space below
Data and Observations:
Time (s): Distance (m): Velocity (m/s):
0 0 0
1 1 1
2 4 2
3 9 3
4 16 4
5 25 5
Observations:
- As the wooden block is launched with a consistent force, it maintains its horizontal motion due to its inertia.
- The distance traveled by the wooden block increases quadratically with time, indicating constant acceleration.
- The velocity of the wooden block increases linearly with time, indicating constant acceleration.