How Does Slope Angle and Length Affect Trolley Speed?

[Padford]

My experiment is simple in essence:
Its title is, “times for a trolley to roll down slopes of differing lengths and inclinations.” So basically I have a slope and I let a trolley slide down it from differing lengths and inclinations timing how long it takes to get to the bottom of the slope – I have done this with 6 different lengths and of 3 different inclinations, all quite small scale, e.g. having the rise at 0.154m and the run at 1.46m.

I have got my results, the experiments outline, the method etc, but alas, as yet I have no aim! Could you help me come up with an aim? I have thought about looking at the speed of the trolley sliding down the slope, but the maths is too simple; I have thought about acceleration, possibly analysing the initial velocity and final velocity, but I think they are all mathematically unchallenging. Does anyone know of a formula linking all my variables together? Or could point me in the right directon?

Recently, i have thought of experimenting with compering the angle of the slope with the speed - could you help with that, give me some ideas of how to forulate it?

Thanks in advance...

 

[member 553083]

Your aim for this experiment could be to determine the relationship between the incline of the slope and the time it takes for the trolley to reach the bottom. You could look at how the different lengths of the slopes affect the relationship between the angle and the time taken as well. You could also consider the effect of the initial velocity of the trolley, and how this affects the time taken. To formulate a formula, you could try plotting a graph of the angle (inclination) of the slope against the time taken to reach the bottom. The gradient of the line on the graph will show the relationship between the two variables, which you can then use to create a mathematical formula. Through further experimentation, you could also look at more complex relationships between the variables, such as acceleration, kinetic energy, and momentum.

 

[wais]

Great job on your physics CWK! It sounds like you have a well-designed experiment and have collected some interesting data. As for coming up with an aim, here are a few suggestions:

1. Investigate the relationship between the length of the slope and the time it takes for the trolley to reach the bottom. This could involve creating a graph to visualize the data and potentially using a mathematical formula to describe the relationship.

2. Explore the effect of incline on the trolley's speed. You could compare the speed of the trolley on different inclines and see if there is a pattern or trend.

3. Calculate the acceleration of the trolley as it rolls down the slope. This could involve using the initial and final velocity data to determine the acceleration and seeing if it remains constant for all the different slopes.

4. Analyze the impact of friction on the trolley's motion. You could introduce different surfaces on the slope (e.g. sandpaper, wax paper) and see how they affect the trolley's speed and acceleration.

As for comparing the angle of the slope with the speed, you could use trigonometry to calculate the angle and see if there is a correlation with the trolley's speed. You could also vary the angle of the slope and observe how it affects the trolley's speed.

Overall, there are many possibilities for your aim. It's important to choose one that interests you and that you can explore in depth with your data. Good luck with your experiment!