PURPOSE: To measure acceleration along an inclined air track..

DESCRIPTION: All gliders are equipped with a 5 cm tab which interrupts the light beam when passing through the photocell gate. The timing system can be set to measure the time, ta or tb, a tab takes to move through the gate or the time, tab, ta ken for the glider to move from gate A to gate B (not B to A). The timer can be set at full scale ranges from 99.9 ms through 999 seconds for a range of applications.

One timer is set so that it records the time for a glider to move from A to B. The second timer is set to measure the time the tab requires to move through gate A, and then after resetting, the time required for the tab to move through gate B. The ac celeration, to an accuracy of less than about ten percent, can be computed using the equation:

where v1=5cm/ta and v2= 5cm/tb.

This can be compared with the component along the air track at the angle a:

SUGGESTIONS:

REFERENCES: An instruction sheet for the photocell gate timer is available in the Demonstration Reference File.

EQUIPMENT: Air track, gliders, two photocell gate timers, blocks for tilting air track.

SETUP TIME: 10 min.

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