In class we performed an experiment to confirm both newtons second law of motion and the law of conservation of energy. Our experiment involved using a motor, pulley and string to lift a varying amount of weight. Another variable we tested was changing the power level of the motor.
The data below was collected by the NXT hooked up to the motor or calculated using some of the data collected. The graphs, also below, confirm the two principles we learned in class. Law of Conservation of Energy- This was confirmed by the data in the Battery Discharge vs Potential Energy graph. As the amount of energy discharged from the battery in the system increased, the the potential energy of the mass increased. If we had an exact measurement and units for the amount of energy discharged from the battery, it would be very close to the amount of PE gained by the hanging mass, and would further the understanding of The Law of Conservation of Energy.
Newton’s Second Law of Motion was also confirmed in this lab. now looking at the graph titled Mass vs Acceleration we see that as the mass of the item being lifted increases, the amount of acceleration it experiences is less. Newton’s law states that force = mass * acceleration, so the decrease in acceleration would be proportionate to the increase in mass to keep the same product of the two.