Help with physics lab containing the centripetal acceleration law

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a physics lab aimed at verifying the centripetal acceleration law, which relates acceleration to velocity and radius. Participants describe a setup involving a whirligig with a ball and a metal weight, questioning the relationship between the centripetal acceleration and the acceleration of the metal weight, particularly in the context of gravitational effects.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the calculations of centripetal acceleration and the acceleration of the metal weight, with some questioning the validity of the obtained acceleration values and their relation to gravitational acceleration. There are inquiries about the movement and changing velocity of the metal weight.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants exploring different interpretations of the acceleration values and the physical behavior of the metal weight. Some guidance is provided regarding the relationship between tension and acceleration, but no consensus has been reached on the calculations or their implications.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about the nature of the acceleration of the metal weight and its relationship to gravitational acceleration, indicating a need for clarification on these concepts.

funkimunkeyy
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1. The aim of the lab is to verify the centripetal acceleration law which states that acceleration is equal to the velocity squared divided by the radius. During the lab, we spun a
string powered whirligig. There was a ball at the top, attached to string, the string was threaded through a plastic tube which served as a handle, and there was a metal weight attached to the bottom. The purpose of the lab was to calculate centripetal acceleration and acceleration of the metal weight. I'm not sure if the the acceleration of the weight is acceleration due to gravity though and may need some clarification.



2. these are some of the equations used: a= v squared/ r, pi x d, a= f/m


3. I have managed to work out the centripetal acceleration, but not the acceleration of the metal weight. I know the two accelerations are somehow related, as the acceleration of the metal weight involves gravity, but I'm stuck. please help
 
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Did the metal weight accelerate? If so, how?
 
yes, the metal weight did accelerate, but i worked out the acceleration by dividing the force on the metal weight by the mass of the ball
 
funkimunkeyy said:
yes, the metal weight did accelerate,
Are you saying that the metal weight moved and as it moved its velocity was changing?
but i worked out the acceleration by dividing the force on the metal weight by the mass of the ball
And what number did you get when you did that? What was the force on the metal weight?
 
I got 27.9m/s^2 for the acceleration. The force on the metal weight was a tension force
 
funkimunkeyy said:
I got 27.9m/s^2 for the acceleration. The force on the metal weight was a tension force
How did you get this number? It is almost three times the acceleration of gravity. Can a hanging mass accelerate more than the acceleration of gravity? I don't think so. The best it can do is 9.8 m/s2 and that's when it is in free fall.

Also, you did not answer my other question, "Did the hanging mass move and did its velocity change as it did so?"
 
the acceleration was a centripetal acceleration. yes it moved and it's velocity changed
 
funkimunkeyy said:
the acceleration was a centripetal acceleration. yes it moved and it's velocity changed
Did the hanging metal weight go around in a circle? If so, how did you calculate its acceleration? Please show your work.
 

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