- #1
Psych Berry
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Homework Statement
A cart is released from rest with varrying masses down an inclined track. Determine whether or not mass affects acceleration in this case.
This is what I calculated through all the data:
θ = approx 5 degrees
M1: Vavg = 0.7816 --> Aavg = 0.977
M2: Vavg = 0.8385 --> Aavg = 0.719
M3: Vavg = 0.7809 --> Aavg = 0.710
Homework Equations
a = gsin(θ)
a(y) = g
V = at
The Attempt at a Solution
I would think that the accelerations should ideally be the same, but I suppose with increased mass comes increased friction and potentially air resistance which could explain the decrease in acceleration through the increase in mass. But we haven't learned how to mathematically use friction yet... My friend who is a physics major says my data is wrong and my sister's boyfriend who is an engineer says it's fine. So is my data faulty, a realistic expectation of real-world physics, a mixture of both, or is my understanding of the concept all wrong?