Circular Motion (A-base)

The Image below shows how to set up the apparatus to measure mass required to stretch the spring to the correct point.

Before this you should follow the following steps.

  1. Make sure the black vertical piece that holds the spring is in the center of the rotating platform.
  2. Move the top platform of the spring to the top of the vertical stand.
  3. The string should go from the spring, around the pulley, and then to the weighted object as pictured.
  4. Place the grey vertical stand that the weight hangs from at its starting distance. (I believe 16-18 cm from center, may very)
  5. Pull the weight out until both strings and the black line on the vertical are perfectly aligned, then adjust the black plate that the spring, orange marker and string pass through, on the first vertical, until it aligns with the orange marker. This will be our alignment point.
  6. Now we can add another string and weights until we determine the mass required to stretch the spring.

A-Base Image 1

  1. Now we can remove the weights, its string and even the pulley at the end of the rotating platform.
  2. Once we plug in the sensor, turn on the Pasco interface and start the Pasco program, the system should auto-detect the sensor type, so we should be able to open a table from the right hand side of the screen.
  3. Selecting measurement we should select angular velocity.
  4. Selecting the summation button should allow us to add an average.
  5. Once that is done we can slowly start rotating the platform, but remember to keep you hands low. NOTE: Do not start the data recording yet.
  6. When the person spinning the platform is confident that they can keep speed of rotation constant enough to keep the orange marker in the circle as described in step 5, then we can hit record and record angular velocity for a given amount of time (I believe it is about 10 seconds, more won’t hurt, but less can)

A-Base Image 2

  1. If instructed, adjust the radius and repeat steps 5-12.

Equipment Notes:

  • The pulleys a connected with a rubber-band, while it works it is easy to slip or break.
  • There is a piece of eraser separating the sensor pulley from the apparatus pulley, it keeps the 2 from rubbing causing more issues. DO NOT REMOVE.