Exploring a Rotating System

Students construct and collect data with an experimental system to determine angular velocity, angular acceleration, applied torque, and the rotational inertia of the meter stick component.

Students construct an experimental system composed of a horizontal meter stick mounted at its center on a pivot that is rotating from the torque produced by the tension in a thread attached to a falling mass. The angular velocity is measured using a photogate mounted to a pulley. Students find the angular acceleration from the slope of the angular velocity versus time graph, vary the falling mass and calculate the applied torque, and discover that the slope of the torque versus angular acceleration graph is the rotational inertia of the meter stick. They use this relationship, Newton's Second Law for rotation, to predict the acceleration and velocity of the falling mass for a new situation.

Grade Level: College • High School

Subject: Physics

Student Files

	Exploring a Rotating System	279.52 KB
	Exploring a Rotating System	489.86 KB

Teacher Files

Download All

Standards Correlations

IB^® Topics	AP^® Topics
B.1	Physics 1: 7.2

Featured Equipment

Meter Stick Torque Mass Hanger Set

Replacement set of three mass hangers and one meter stick clamp for doing meter stick torque experiments.

Pivot

This Pivot is used as a fulcrum in meter stick torque and as a rotation device for rotational inertia experiments.

Meter Stick Torque Set

For torque experiments with a meter stick balance

Aluminum Meter Sticks (6 Pack)

These hollow aluminum meter sticks are rigid and straight.

Support

Many lab activities can be conducted with our Wireless, PASPORT, or even ScienceWorkshop sensors and equipment. For assistance with substituting compatible instruments, contact PASCO Technical Support. We're here to help.
Copyright © 2021 PASCO

Copyright Disclaimer: Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976 makes allowance for “fair use” for purposes of teaching, scholarship, education and research. Reproduction under any other circumstances, without the written consent of PASCO, is prohibited.

Source Collection: Lab #08