HS1 Physics LAWS OF MOTION Chapter 4: Experiments

 

Experiment Process for Demonstrating Laws of Motion

Aim:

To demonstrate Newton's Laws of Motion through simple experiments.

Materials Required:

• A smooth wooden surface

• A small wooden block

• Spring balance

• String

• Pulley

• Weights (different masses)

• Stopwatch

• Graph paper

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Procedure:

1. Demonstrating Newton's First Law (Law of Inertia):

1. Place the wooden block on the smooth surface.

2. Gently push the block. Observe that it moves but stops after some time due to friction.

3. Now, remove friction by making the surface even smoother (use a glass surface).

4. Observe that the block moves farther, showing that an object continues in its state of rest or uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force.

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2. Demonstrating Newton's Second Law (F=ma):

1. Attach a string to the wooden block and pass it over the pulley.

2. Attach a weight to the other end of the string.

3. Measure the acceleration of the block using the stopwatch as it moves.

4. Repeat with different weights and record the acceleration in each case.

5. Plot a graph of force (weight) against acceleration to show that force is directly proportional to acceleration (F = ma).

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3. Demonstrating Newton's Third Law (Action and Reaction):

1. Place two identical blocks on a smooth surface, one of which has a spring-loaded surface.

2. Push one block towards the other.

3. Observe that both blocks move in opposite directions, showing that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

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Observations:

Record your observations for each of the three experiments in a tabular format.

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Conclusion:

• The experiment demonstrates all three laws of motion effectively:

  • The first law (Inertia) is shown by the object's resistance to changes in motion.

  • The second law (F=ma) is verified by the direct proportionality of force and acceleration.

  • The third law (Action-Reaction) is shown by the interaction between two blocks.