Understanding Centripetal Force in a Rubber Ball and String Lab

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the impact of the height of a rubber ball hanging from a string on the accuracy of centripetal force measurements in a lab setup. It concludes that a lower hanging position reduces the effective centripetal force due to decreased tension in the string. Additionally, maintaining a constant radius and velocity while altering the height can affect the material's stress and strain characteristics. Participants recommend drawing free body diagrams to visualize and compare the forces involved in different hanging scenarios.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of centripetal force principles
  • Familiarity with free body diagrams
  • Basic knowledge of tension in strings
  • Experience with experimental physics lab setups
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the mathematical formulation of centripetal force
  • Learn how to construct and analyze free body diagrams
  • Investigate the relationship between tension and centripetal acceleration
  • Explore material properties under varying stress conditions
USEFUL FOR

Students in physics courses, educators conducting lab experiments, and anyone interested in the practical applications of centripetal force in experimental setups.

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Homework Statement



I did a lab where there was a glass tube with a rubber ball attached and a string hanging from the glass tube with metal washers attached at the bottom.

My question is if the ball were to hang too low why would the centripetal force be less accurate is it because there is less force when hanging to low, and if i were to maintain a given radius and velocity what would happen to the material.
 
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Did you draw free body diagrams for the two cases? If not, you might wish to do so and compare the relative magnitudes of the forces involved (particularly for the ones you're interested in measuring and those you want to minimize or maximize).
 

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