Investigating Motion with 5 Balls

[r123]

Homework Statement

by rolling 5 different balls down a ramp from 5 different heights onto 5 different surfaces i recorded the time taken from when the ball leaves the ramp until it stops, also recording the displacement of the ball from the the bottom of the ramp. with these results i need to 'investigate motion and related energy transformations experimentally, and use the Newtonian model in one and two dimensions to analyse motion in the contexts of transport and related aspects of safety, and motion in space.'

Homework Equations

0.5mv^2 mgh fnet=ma constant acceleration formulas fnet=μN

The Attempt at a Solution

using the above formulas i can:
- calculate the initial velocity in two different ways and compare these
- find the co-efficient of friction
- calculate the frictional force

what else can i calculate?

i am stuck on what i am trying to prove/disprove (the aim), i.e. what am i going to do with these calculations

also, what graphs would be good to use to show my understanding?

 

[anathema]

your goal for this experiment would be to investigate the relationship between the height of the ramp, the surface the ball is rolling on, and the resulting time and displacement of the ball. From your data, you can use the equations listed to calculate the initial velocity, co-efficient of friction, and frictional force. These calculations can help you analyze the motion of the ball and determine how different factors affect its movement.

To further analyze the data, you could also plot graphs of the time vs. height, displacement vs. height, and frictional force vs. surface type. These graphs can help you visualize the relationship between the variables and make comparisons between the different trials.

In terms of the aim, you could investigate how the height of the ramp affects the initial velocity and the time and displacement of the ball. You could also compare the results for different surface types to see how they affect the motion of the ball. This can help you understand the concept of energy transformation and how it relates to motion.

Additionally, you could use the Newtonian model to analyze the motion of the ball in one and two dimensions. This can help you understand the principles of force, acceleration, and motion and how they apply to real-world situations such as transport and safety.

Overall, your aim should be to use your experimental data and calculations to gain a deeper understanding of motion and energy transformations, and how they relate to different contexts and scenarios.