Why Does Acceleration Vary in a Ramp Experiment?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the variability of acceleration observed in a ramp experiment where a cart rolls down an inclined ramp with tickertape attached. Participants note that the acceleration fluctuates instead of remaining constant, raising questions about potential experimental errors. Factors such as non-uniform friction along the ramp and the opposing force from the tickertape are suggested as possible causes for these variations. The importance of diagramming the problem and analyzing the forces acting on the cart is emphasized to better understand the discrepancies in acceleration. Understanding these elements is crucial for accurate experimental outcomes.
jnimagine
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When the cart was rolled down a ramp with tickertape attached to it and the acceleration was calculated using the average velocity, the acceleration seem to be going up and down instead of staying the same... for example, ot goes from 0.5 to 0.2 then to 0.9 and so on...shouldn't they be constant? if they should be what are some experimental errors that could have caused this?
 
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you are talking about the a car with a roll of paper atached to a machine that make dots in a roll of paper??
is the ramp inclined?? Is the paper making an opposite force?

Explain the Experiment first...
 
Littlepig said:
you are talking about the a car with a roll of paper atached to a machine that make dots in a roll of paper??
is the ramp inclined?? Is the paper making an opposite force?

Explain the Experiment first...

yes the ramp is inclined and the tickertape is attached to the back of the cart as it rolls down.
 
surely friction is not constant all over the ramp
 
well, than you know what forces are acting on the car... First make the diagram of the problem, considering the ideal experience...than, you will analyze what can problaby make a variation of aceleration..
 

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