Why Does Acceleration Vary in a Ramp Experiment?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around an experiment involving a cart rolling down an inclined ramp with tickertape attached to measure acceleration. Participants are examining the variability in acceleration measurements and questioning whether it should remain constant throughout the experiment.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are questioning the consistency of acceleration values observed during the experiment, suggesting potential experimental errors. Some are asking for clarification on the setup, including the incline of the ramp and the role of friction.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring different interpretations of the experimental setup and the forces at play. Some guidance has been offered regarding the need to analyze forces and create a diagram, but no consensus has been reached on the cause of the acceleration variability.

Contextual Notes

There is a mention of potential friction affecting the results, and participants are considering the implications of various forces acting on the cart during the experiment.

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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