What is the force intercept on my graph and how can I find it?

[Machinehead73]

Homework Statement

I have made a graph using excel the for a problem that I have. I used the best fit line function in excel to find my slope and y intercept. The question wants to know the force intercept of this. How can I find out what the force intercept is and an equation stating how I found that.
It would not let be load my chart. But below you will find my data I used to make my chart.

Homework Equations

Resultant Force Acceleration (m/s2
0.109 0.2445
0.1285 0.2827
0.1481 0.3205
0.1678 0.358
0.1874 0.3966
0.207 0.4372
0.2266 0.4763
0.2462 0.5149
0.2659 0.5514
0.2855 0.5895

The Attempt at a Solution

 

[kuruman]

It is the point where the straight line crosses the axis that you have labeled as "Force". If the "Force" axis is the y-axis (vertical), then Excel gives you that number as "y-intercept".

 

[Machinehead73]

Thank you for responding!

The excel give me y= .5094x - .0153 I am not clear on what the question is asking me then. What is the equation to find this out.

Thanks

 

[kuruman]

The equation you just gave me is the equation to find this out. Variable "y" in this case stands for "Resultant force" and variable "x" for "acceleration". Which means that you can rewrite this as

F = .5094*a - .0153

When a = 0, what is the value of F? That value is the force intercept.

 

[Machinehead73]

So this means .5094(a) - .0153. Does this mean to multiply .5094 by the acceleration?

Thanks

 

[kuruman]

Yes. The asterisk implies multiplication.