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Homework Statement
[edit]: In case anyone didn't get a clear picture, in a nutshell the experiment involves us releasing a glider down an air track within a fixed distance x, where the time, t taken is then recorded down. Sorry for not mentioning this before if it's of any use.
To determine the acceleration due to gravity on an air track,
Note that distance, x is the ordinate and t^2 is the abscissa.
variables:
manipulated: distance, x(m)
responding: time (t^2)
constant: mass of the glider, angle of inclination of the air track
samples of the data obtained (respectively):
x = 0.25; 0.50; 0.75... ; 1.75
t^2= 7.0225; 13.3590; 21.8089... ; 49.2120
height, h= 0.29m; total distance of the track, d=1.9834m
Homework Equations
x= (at^2)/2, therefore a= 2m; m=slope
g= a/sin Ө;
sin Ө=0.29/1.9834= 0.1462
The Attempt at a Solution
Via linear least square fit, I got
slope, m= 0.03498 m/s^2
therefore, acceleration, a= 2m= 0.06996 m/s^2therefore logically
g= (0.06996/0.1462) m/s^2
g= 0.4785 m/s^2 ...?
That doesn't make sense.
but if we reverse the equation with g= 9.80
then a= 9.80 (0.1462)= 1.43276 m/s^-2
However, the data derived acceleration doesn't come any closer to that value.
So it's either the experiment gone wrong or I miscalculated something somewhere; I have informed my other partners to ask whether they can calculate the final answer but I've received no reply yet.
I would appreciate it so much if someone can pin point a possible error?
Currently running on low battery now. Going to sleep and then go over the whole thing when I wake up.
Thanks.
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