SCHOOL OF MECHANICAL AND MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING

NUST
APPLIED PHYSICS
LAB REPORT # 2
PAScar

SUBMITTED BY GROUP A-4

• Muhammad Nauman Tariq
• Muhammad Safi Ullah
• Syed Muhammad Ali Asad
• Asad Ur Rehman
• Zaid Akbar

SUBMITTED TO
SIR SHAROON SARDAR
DATE SUBMITTED
10/10/2017
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

▪ ABSTRACT
▪ THEORY
▪ PROCEDURE
▪ OBSERVATION
▪ CALCULATIONS
▪ DATA ANALYSIS
▪ CONCLUSION

In this lab report we discuss three lab experiments we performed in our class.

➢ Experiment No. 1: Kinematics

(Average vs. Instantaneous Velocities)

➢ Experiment No. 2 Coefficient of Friction

➢ Experiment NO. 3: Newton’s second law

(Predicting acceleration)
 ▪ ABSTRACT

“PASCar” is specially designed car which move on a specific frictionless track. It has a
plunger used to initiate its motion. It is used to investigate one dimensional accelerated
motion under the combined action of rolling friction and floor Slope.

• In the first experiment, we check the acceleration of the object under the action of
initial velocity. We have to find average velocity (vav ) and initial velocity of the
PASCar. Then, the acceleration is calculated from the data.

• In second experiment, we determine the co efficient of rolling friction using PAScar.

When the car is allowed to move, it comes to rest after covering some distance
which happens due to the presence of rolling friction and slope of floor because no
surface is perfectly leveled thus producing a slope of order of 𝜃<<50. We will
perform experiments for upward slope and downward slope to calculate average
floor angle 𝜃 and coefficient of rolling friction 𝜇r.

• In third experiment, we accelerate the PAScar using some mass attached with a
pulley. As long as the string is inelastic the hanger and the PAScar have same
acceleration, the resulting acceleration is determined experimentally and the
experimental value is compared with the value of acceleration predicted by
Newton’s 2nd law of motion.
 ▪ THEORY

Introduction to Pascar with mass:

“The PASCO Model ME-6950 PAScar with Mass performs high quality motion experiments through its low-
friction design.”

PAScar's body and plunger are made of polycarbonate plastic, these carts have a mass of just 250
grams. Each cart includes both a spring plunger, magnets and velcro tabs for collision studies. The
PAScars come in a set of two, one each of red and blue, and are compatible with all PASCO Dynamics
Tracks and accessories.

• PASCO Dynamics Carts Share Two Important Features:

1. Low Friction: Ball bearing, knife-edge wheels mean student data more closely matches
theory
2. Spring-Loaded Suspension: Wheels retract into the body, so they are protected from drops
or "skateboarding."

• Additional PAScar Features:

• Three-position Plunger: Provides reproducible impulses and explosions

• Three Mounting Holes: For accessories
• Polycarbonate Body: Total mass: 250 g
• Mass Tray: Add mass to easily double or triple car mass
• Magnets: Installed on one end for elastic collisions
• Velcro Tabs: For inelastic collisions
 • 1ST EXPERIMENT

We can prove that the deceleration of the pascar with mass due to rolling friction and
the slope of surface is a constant. This can be done by calculating aexp and atheo and then checking
if they are equal.
For theoretical acceleration:

When we release the car it covers distance D in time T. The average velocity over this interval is
given by:
𝐷
𝑣 𝑎𝑣 =
𝑇
The initial velocity is vo and the final velocity is zero. Hence vo can be given by:
2𝐷
𝑣𝑜=
𝑇
Hence the acceleration is:
𝑣𝑓−𝑣𝑜
𝑎=
𝑡
2𝐷
𝑎=−
𝑇

For experimental acceleration:

We take any distance d such that d < D and record the time taken by the pascar with mass to cover
it. The acceleration is then calculated by using second equation of motion:

𝒅 = 𝒗o𝒕𝟏 + 𝟏/𝟐𝒂𝒕𝟏𝟐
 • 2 ND EXPERIMENT

We will launch car several times in both directions (upward and downward). For example, if the first
launch is in right, then the next launch will be in left direction.
In the direction which is slightly downslope, the acceleration of the car is given by

a1 = + gsinθ – μrg (since cos2 θ + sin2θ =1)

And the acceleration in the direction that is slightly upslope will be

a2= -gsinθ – µrg

We know
a=f/m
here f=mgsinθ
so;
a=mgsinθ/m

so;

a=gsinθ

so we can write
a1 = + gsinθ – µrg

(since both component of gravity and frictional force acts, so our net acceleration will be a1, which
is calculated by using net force and dividing the equation by m)

Numerical values of acceleration “a1”and” a2” will be known by measuring both the distance d that
the car rolls before stopping and time t. Given these values, the acceleration can be determined
from:

a=2d/t2
After getting values of a1, a2 we can easily solve the two equations, as there are two unknowns and
two equations and finally we will get value of θ (it is slope or inclination) and µr (coefficient of
friction)
UPSLOPE DOWNSLOPE
 ▪ 3RD EXPERIMENT

In this third experiment, a small mass ‘m’ is connected to the PAScar by a string. The string will pass
over a pulley at the table’s edge so that as the mass falls the car will be accelerated over the table’s
surface. When the car is released from rest and allowed to accelerate over a distance ‘d’.
Using a stopwatch, we will determine how long it takes, on average, for the car to move through the
distance ‘d’.

An experimental value for the car’s acceleration a can be determined from:

𝑎 =2𝐷/𝑇2

Assuming that the tabletop is truly horizontal (i.e. level), Newton’s Second Law (F= ma) predicts that
the acceleration of this system will be:
𝑎 = 𝑚2g/𝑀𝑡
 ▪ PROCEDURE

EXPERIMENT #1

APPARATUS

➢ PAScar
➢ Metric tape
➢ Stopwatch

STEPS TO FOLLOW

After roughly determining the range of the cart, we marked a distance d that was about half way out
from the start. Then we measured that distance and recorded it. Using a stopwatch with a lap timer
and metric tape, we determined time taken by PAScar to cover distance ‘d’, time taken by PAScar to
cover distance ‘D’ and range for each launch. To cock the spring plunger, we pushed the plunger in,
and then pushed the plunger slightly upward to allow one of the notches on the plunger bar to catch
on the edge of the small metal bar at the top of the hole. Using the equations described in the
theory section and the data recorded in the table, we did the calculations needed to complete the
table.
EXPERIMENT #2

APPARTUS

➢PAScar
➢Metric tape
➢Stopwatch

STEPS TO FOLLOW

We placed the car in its starting position and then launched it. We cocked the spring plunger. Using a
stopwatch and metric tape, we determined the range d and the total time spent rolling t. We
recorded these readings in the table. We repeated step 1 six times for each direction. Using given
formula, we computed the accelerations corresponding to our data and an average acceleration for
each of the two directions. Using the results, we determined μr and θ by algebraically solving for the
two equations.
EXPERIMENT #3

APPARATUS

➢ PAScar
➢ Pulley and pulley clamp
➢ Mass set
➢ Stopwatch
➢ String
➢ Paper clips
➢ Block
➢ Balance

STEPS TO FOLLOW

We set up the pulley, car, and a bumper to prevent the car from hitting the pulley at the end
of its run. We carefully leveled the table until the car had no particular tendency to drift or
accelerate in either direction along its run. We put a loop in one end of the string and placed
that loop over the spring-release trigger on the PAScar. We draped the string over the pulley.
We adjusted the pulley so the string is leveled. We adjusted the length of the string so that
the longest arrangement of masses that we intended to use would not hit the floor before the
car had reached the end of its run. We put a loop in that end of the string. We hanged enough
paper clips onto the dangling loop in the string until the car would just continue to move
without apparent acceleration when barely nudged. This small added mass will compensate
for friction in the system and would be ignored in the following calculations. The paper clips
would remain attached to the loop throughout the experiment! We moved a 20 gram mass
from the bed of the car to the hanging loop and pull the car back to a clearly marked starting
point. We determined the distance ‘d’ that the car would move from the starting point to the
bumper block and recorded that distance at the top of Table. We practiced releasing the car
being careful not to give it any push or pull. We stopped our stopwatch at the instant the car
arrived at the bumper. We determined the average time for the car to move through the
distance d, having been released from rest. Excluding the pulley, we determined the total mass
of our system, MTotal (car,
 ▪ OBSERVATION, CALCULATIONS AND DATA ANALYSIS

(Experiment no. 1)
d = 27.6 cm

T Distance Vav Instantaneous Acceleration Experimental Theoretical %Error

(s) (D) cm (ms^-1) Velocity(Vi) (a) Time (tex) Time (t1 )
5.30 87.1 16.43 32.86 -6.2 0.87 0.78 9%
4.50 65.7 14.60 29.20 -6.5 0.93 0.86 7%
4.05 52.0 12.84 25.68 -6.34 1.63 1.47 9.8%

Formulae used:
For V0:
𝑉0 = 2𝑉 = 2𝐷/𝑇
For acceleration:
𝑎 = −2𝐷/𝑇2
For theoretical time t1:
𝑑 = 𝑉0𝑡1 + 1/2 𝑎𝑡1 2
(Experiment no.2)

(Upward)

D T au

38.2 3.73 5.49

34.4 3.24 6.55
35.4 3.34 6.34

(Downward)
D T ad

88.2 7.80 2.90

81.8 7.92 2.61
75.1 7.27 2.84

Average acceleration for upslope is given by:

au = (5.49+6.55+6.34)/3
=6.13 cm/s2

Average acceleration for downslope is given by:

ad= (2.90+2.61+2.84)/3
=2.78 cm/s2

The co-efficient of friction is given by:

μr = (𝑎u + 𝑎d)/−2𝑔
=0.0045

The angle is given by:

θ = sin−1 (𝑎u – 𝑎d)/2 × 𝑔

=0.15
(Experiment no. 3)

Mass (m) Time (T) 𝟐𝐃 𝒎𝒈 %Error

𝒂(𝐞𝐱𝐩) = 𝒂(𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓) =
(g) (s) 𝐓𝟐 𝑴
55 1.65 0.40 0.43 6.98%
1.54 0.45 0.43 4.65%
1.55 0.39 0.43 9.30%
105 1.16 0.78 0.81 3.70%
1.08 0.82 0.81 1.25%
1.14 0.74 0.81 6.17%
155 0.88 1.23 1.21 1.65%
0.83 1.32 1.21 9.00%
0.82 1.29 1.21 6.61%

We used the following formulae to calculate acceleration.

𝑎 (experimental)=−2𝐷/𝑇2

𝑎 (theoretical)=𝑚2/𝑀𝑡𝑔
 CONCLUSION

• In the 1st experiment we calculated theoretical and experimental value of time of motion
using PAScar and found percentage difference between them. Acceleration was also
determined which came out to be negative. Its ranged between -6 to -7 cm/sec2. The intial
velocity was between 25 to 32 cm/s.

• In the 2nd experiment we calculated co-efficient of friction to be 0.0045 and angle to be

0.15. We calculated 6 readings of accelerations for both cases. For downhill, it was between
2 to 3 cm/s2 and for uphill, it was between 5 to 6 cm/s2.

• In the 3rd experiment we calculated the value of acceleration for different masses found
percentage. Error between theoretical and experimental value. It was between 1% and 9%.