How does mass affect acceleration?

In summary, the conversation discusses an experiment conducted in Physics class to investigate the relationship between the mass of a trolley and its acceleration down a slope. The variables of the experiment are also mentioned. The conclusion of the experiment is that the acceleration remained constant despite adding 50 grams to the trolley, which goes against Newton's Second Law. The conversation ends with a suggestion to consider the force acting on the trolley and equating it to the equation F = ma.
  • #1
conspicuous
2
0

Homework Statement



Hello all. I performed an experiment in Physics class to attempt to answer the following question:

How will changing the mass of a trolley affect its acceleration when it goes down the slope?

I changed the mass of a trolley on each trial, let it go down a slope, and measured its acceleration. I added a total of 50 grams to the trolley but the acceleration always remained constant. I am perplexed as to how this happened.

Variables:

  • Dependent (measured): acceleration
  • Independent (being changed): mass of trolley
  • Controlled (kept stable): angle of slope and distance traveled

Homework Equations



F = ma

The Attempt at a Solution



Newton's Second Law states that mass and acceleration are inversely related (i.e, if mass increases, acceleration should increase), but such case did not happen. How did it not?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Welcome to PF!

What force (F) do primarily work on the trolley when it accelerates down the slope? Perhaps you can write up an equation for F and equate that to ma and see if there is something you can reduce away.
 

1. How does mass affect acceleration?

Mass and acceleration have an inverse relationship. This means that as mass increases, acceleration decreases, and vice versa. This is because the greater the mass of an object, the more force is needed to accelerate it.

2. Does mass affect the rate of acceleration?

Yes, mass does affect the rate of acceleration. Objects with a larger mass require more force to accelerate, thus they have a slower rate of acceleration. Objects with a smaller mass require less force to accelerate, giving them a faster rate of acceleration.

3. How does air resistance affect the relationship between mass and acceleration?

Air resistance can affect the relationship between mass and acceleration by slowing down the acceleration of an object. This is because air resistance creates a force that acts in the opposite direction of the object's motion, making it harder to accelerate.

4. Does mass play a role in free fall acceleration?

Yes, mass does play a role in free fall acceleration. According to Newton's Second Law of Motion, the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. Therefore, objects with a larger mass will have a slower acceleration during free fall compared to objects with a smaller mass.

5. How does gravity affect the relationship between mass and acceleration?

Gravity affects the relationship between mass and acceleration by providing a constant force that acts on all objects. The more mass an object has, the more force it requires to accelerate at the same rate as an object with less mass. This means that objects with a larger mass will experience a greater force of gravity and have a slower acceleration compared to objects with a smaller mass.

Similar threads

  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
218
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
30
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
8K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
18
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
11
Views
4K
Replies
2
Views
997
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
13
Views
9K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
5
Views
649
Replies
2
Views
774
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
9
Views
3K
Back
Top