Hooke's Law
A Smart Cart is used to measure a spring’s force vs. position as a spring is stretched. According to Hooke’s law, the negative of the slope of the...
Conservation of Energy on an Inclined Track
As the cart rolls freely up and then back down the track, mechanical energy changes form from kinetic...
Centripetal, Tangential, and Angular Acceleration
A rod rotates in a horizontal plane, and is made to slow steadily to a stop. This setup is used to...
Friction and Newton's Laws
Coefficients of static friction and kinetic friction are determined for a block connected by a string over a pulley to a hanging mass.
Atwood's Machine
In a study of an Atwood’s Machine apparatus, a photogate is used to measure the velocity of both hanging masses as one moves up and the other moves down....
External Force and Newton's Laws
The external force exerted by the hand through the elastic band causes the system of two carts to accelerate. The carts’ sensors are used to measure...
Newton's Third Law
In this lab, two Smart Carts exert forces on each other in a variety of situations. Each Smart Cart’s force sensor measures the force acting on that...
Inertia and Newton's Second Law
When you shake an object back and forth, you feel a “resistance” to the acceleration you are causing. We commonly refer to this as the “inertia”...
Force and Acceleration
A Smart Cart is accelerated by the tension in a string that goes over a pulley and has mass hanging at its other end. The Smart Cart’s sensors are used...
Newton's Second Law
The acceleration of a Smart Cart with Smart Fan Accessory is measured for varying forces, while keeping the mass constant. The Smart Fan is used to produce...
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.