- #31
uSee2
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Thank you!haruspex said:
Experimental Design: Pulley and Mass Hangers
- Thread starter uSee2
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The discussion revolves around an experimental design involving a pulley system to determine gravitational acceleration. One participant initially proposed measuring the rotational inertia of the pulley and using energy methods to find gravity, but later realized this approach was incorrect compared to the answer key. The correct method involved using an Atwood machine setup, where unequal masses were hung to create a net force, allowing for the measurement of acceleration and ultimately calculating gravity from a graph of mass differences versus acceleration. The conversation also highlighted the importance of considering the pulley's moment of inertia and practical measurement challenges in experimental physics. Overall, the participants emphasized the need for accurate measurements and the implications of assumptions made about the pulley's mass.