Newton's Second Law Lab

Investigate the relationship between force, mass and acceleration — F = ma

20 N
5.0 kg
0.00
Net force
20.0 N
Acceleration
4.00 m/s²
Velocity
0.0 m/s
Displacement
0.0 m

Velocity–time graph

Investigation: How does mass affect acceleration?

  1. Set friction to 0 and force to 20 N
  2. Set mass to 2.0 kg, press Start, observe the acceleration, then press Record
  3. Press Reset. Change mass to 4.0 kg and repeat
  4. Continue for masses 6.0, 8.0 and 10.0 kg
  5. Record your data in the table below and calculate the expected acceleration
  6. Describe the relationship between mass and acceleration when force is constant

Data table

TrialForce (N)Mass (kg)Measured a (m/s²)Calculated a (m/s²)Check

Questions to answer

  1. When force is constant, what happens to acceleration as mass increases?
  2. When mass is constant, what happens to acceleration as force increases?
  3. Write the mathematical relationship between force, mass and acceleration.
  4. Predict: If a 3.0 kg object has a net force of 12 N applied, what will the acceleration be?
  5. Extension: Set friction to 0.20. How does friction affect the net force and acceleration?
Kugelblitz Physics — kugelblitz.me