PHYSICS LAB REPORT 7 – PASCAR 1

SCHOOL:
NICE

VENUE:
Lab (SNS)

SUBMITTED BY:
Group No # A5

 Haider Khan
 Hussain Ahmed
 Aadam Baluch
 Muhammad Usman
 Musa Mughal

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Abstract:
“PASCAR” is a specially designed car which moves 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 checked the acceleration of the car under the action of initial
velocity.
We have to find average velocity and initial velocity of the PASCar and then its acceleration.
In the second experiment, we determined 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. We will perform experiments for upward slope and downward slope to
calculate average floor angle and coefficient of rolling friction μr.
In the third experiment, we accelerated 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 2nd law.

Theory:
“Kinematics means the study of body in motion under the action of forces”. In the first
experiment, we are to prove that the acceleration of the PASCar is constant, by equating the
time taken “t” to cover a specific displacement “d” theoretically and experimentally. The car
is made to slide on the surface. The car will be allowed to roll to a stop. The distance D
covered and the total elapsed time T from launch to stop will be measured and recorded.
The average velocity is:

𝐷
𝑣=
𝑇

Initial instantaneous velocity at lift off with constant acceleration assumed is:
2𝐷
𝑣0= 2𝑣 =
𝑇

And the constant acceleration is:

If ‘𝑣 ’ and ‘𝑎’ are known then time t1 for any intermediate distance d can be calculated
using quadratic equation of variable t1:
1
𝑑 = 𝑣𝑜 𝑡1 + 𝑎𝑡 2
2

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Using these formulas we can calculate theoretical time for intermediate distance and
comparing it with experimental value, we can find consistancy of acceleration.
In the second experiment, the car will be launched several times in one direction, and then
it will be launched several times along the same course, but in the opposite direction.
In the direction which is slightly downslope, the acceleration of the car is given by:

𝑎=𝑔sin𝛳−μ𝑔

In the upslope motion, the acceleration is given by:

𝑎=−𝑔sin𝛳−μ𝑔

Acceleration can be calculated by the formula:

−2𝐷
𝑎=
𝑇2

After calculating acceleration for both upward and downward slopes, two equations are
obtained.
Solving them simultaneously we can find values of angle(ϴ) and coefficient of friction(μ).
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:

2𝐷
𝑎=
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:

𝑚2
𝑎= 𝑔
𝑀𝑇

𝑴𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆−𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆

Percentage Error = × 𝟏𝟎𝟎%
𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆

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Experiment 1
Formulae used:
For v0 :
2𝐷
𝑣0= 2𝑣 = 𝑇

For acceleration:

−2𝐷
𝑎=
𝑇2
For theoretical time t1 :

1
𝑑 = 𝑣𝑜 𝑡1 + 𝑎𝑡 2
2

Observations & Calculations:

Starting point= x˳=24.0cm & vf=0m/s
𝐷
Vavg = & Vi = 2 x Vavg
𝑇

Intermediate point=68cm

Intermediate distance= d = 68-24 = 44.0cm

No. D/cm T/s d/cm t exp./s Vavg/cms-2 Vi/cms-2 acc./cms-2 t % error

of theo./s in t/s
Obs.

1. 91 2.53 44 0.84 35.97 71.94 -28.43 0.56 18.3%

2. 92 2.66 44 0.93 34.59 69.18 -26.01 0.58 31%

3. 90 2.48 44 0.89 36.29 72.58 -29.27 0.56 25.3%

Conclusion & Discussion:

We calculated theoretical and experimental values of time of motion using PAScar and
found percentage difference between them.

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Experiment 2(Coefficient of Friction)

Formulae used:
a (upward)=gsinӨ-μrg…..(1) a(downward) = -gsinӨ-μrg…..(2)

2𝐷
𝑎=
𝑇2

Observations & Calculations:

Downslope:
No. of T/s D/cm Acc./cms-2
Obs.

1. 2.73 90.4 -24.3

2. 2.84 91.8 -22.8

Aavg = -23.55cms-2

Upslope:
No. of T/s D/cm Acc./cms-2
Obs.

1. 3.29 94.3 -17.4

2. 3.41 94.3 -16.2

Aavg = -16.80cms-2

Solve eq’s 1 and 2 putting the values of acceleration in each case we get:

μr=0.021

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Finding angle:
Put the values of a and μr in eq 1:
Ө=0.2220
So the inclination of the track is 0.2220

Conclusion & Discussion:

We calculated co-efficient of friction to be 0.021 and angle to be 0.2220.

Experiment 3
Formulae used:
𝑚𝑔
a(exp)= 2D/T² (here vi=0) a(Th) =
𝑀

M= mass of car + added masses +mass of hanger.

Observations & Calculations:

No. of m/g M/g T/s D/cm Acc. Acc. % error
Obs. Exp./cms-2 Th./cms-2 in acc.

1. 15 265 1.34 60.0 66.8 55.5 20.4

2. 30 280 1.06 60.0 106.8 105.1 1.62

3. 40 290 0.80 60.0 187.5 135.3 38.6

Conclusion & Discussion:

We calculated the value of acceleration for different masses and then found the percentage
error. Percentage error was between 20%-39%.