Centripital Force Lab - PLEASE HELP

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In summary, the student is trying to find a relationship between changing force and radius in a centripetal force lab. However, changing other factors does not seem to effect the relationship.
  • #1
whitesound
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Centripital Force Lab - PLEASE HELP!

Homework Statement



Ok so i need to do this lab, write a report, and prepare a defence for tomorrow

pretty much i spin a mass horizontally on a string attached vertically to a force sensor. i hold onto a plastic tube through which the string goes and using the force sensor i get data (a force time graph) from which i can get the average force and the period/frequency

for my part i need to use different radii of the string and graph a relationship between the force and the radius length

so i did all of this but I am really confused by my results:
if i spin the mass fast the period is small and the force is large
if i spin the mass slowly (fast enough to keep the mass horizontal) i get a larger period and a smaller average force

but changing the radius of the string does not seem to change much (anything)

so my question to you is how does the radius relate to everything if other things are kept constant (or as constant as possible)

so i really need some help, any hints or something that would help me get the answer.

btw i do know the mass of the rubber stopper (mass on the end of the string) = 12.4 grams

any help is greatly appreciated !

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution

 
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  • #2
well no one replied ... but that's ok because I am pretty sure that I've figured it out:
since i have a force sensor all i need to do is make sure to keep the period as constant as possible and then i will see a relationship between changing Fc and radius
 
  • #3
oh and i realize now that i really didn't give much informations about the experiment but i thought most would know it since it one of the most common centripetal force labs

also i tried to post a link to the lab outline but due to forum restrictions that wasn't possible
 

1. What is centripetal force?

Centripetal force is the force that keeps an object moving in a circular path. It is always directed towards the center of the circle and is necessary to maintain the object's circular motion.

2. How is centripetal force measured?

Centripetal force can be measured using the formula F = mv^2/r, where F is the force, m is the mass of the object, v is its velocity, and r is the radius of the circle.

3. What are some examples of centripetal force in everyday life?

Some examples of centripetal force in everyday life include the rotation of a Ferris wheel, the orbit of planets around the sun, and the motion of a ball on a string being swung around in a circle.

4. How does centripetal force relate to Newton's laws of motion?

Centripetal force relates to Newton's first law of motion, also known as the law of inertia, which states that an object at rest will remain at rest and an object in motion will remain in motion with a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force. In the case of circular motion, the centripetal force is the external force that keeps the object moving in a circle.

5. What factors affect the strength of centripetal force?

The strength of centripetal force is affected by the mass of the object, the speed of the object, and the radius of the circle. A larger mass or higher speed will result in a stronger centripetal force, while a larger radius will result in a weaker centripetal force.

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