EXPERIMENT 4

KINEMATICS OF RECTILINEAR MOTION

LAB REPORT
Date ………………………………..

Name ………………………… Partner's Name …………………

Registration No. ………………. Registration No. ………………...

Section ………………………. Instructor's Name ………………

I. PURPOSE:
To study and analyze motion with variable acceleration in one
dimension.

II. INTRODUCTION - THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

Kinematics is the study of the purely geometrical aspects of the motion of
an object or particle, such as its trajectory in space, its displacement,
velocity, and acceleration, and how they vary with time, without reference
to its mass or the forces acting on it.
Motion of a particle or an object is described by measuring its position with
respect to a coordinate system as a function of time. In this experiment, you
will analyze motion along a straight line, also called rectilinear or one-
dimensional motion.
If the object’s positions at different times (preferably at regularly spaced
time intervals, Δt) are recorded, one can then obtain the displacements
made during the time intervals, which are used to calculate velocities and
accelerations.
Assuming the object is moving along the x-axis, the displacement x it
makes during a time interval t, when it moves from an initial position with
coordinate xi, to a final position with coordinate xf, is defined as:
x  x f  xi (4.1)
The average velocity of the object during this time interval is defined by:
x
v (4.2)
t
If, during the same time interval, the velocity of the object changes from an
initial value vi to a final value vf, then the average acceleration of the object
during this interval is defined by:
v
a (4.3)
t
In this experiment, you will pull a ~ 1.0-m long paper tape along a straight
line, such that its acceleration is variable both in magnitude and direction,
and you will analyze the resulting motion. A record of the tape's motion as
a function of time is obtained with the help of a device for measuring time
called a ticker timer, shown in Figure 4.1 below. It is an electrical device that
has a little screw-shaped hammer that vibrates vertically at a rate of 50 Hz.
The tape is threaded through the device and under a carbon disc placed
right below the hammer.

As the tape is pulled through while the ticker timer is on, the hammer
strikes the carbon disc at a rate of 50 times each second, leaving a dot on
the tape with each strike. The distance between two successive dots on
the tape is the distance covered by the tape in 0.02 s.
 Figure 4.1: Ticker Timer.

Note that x is always positive in our experiment, because motion is always

in the same forward (positive) direction. This means that the velocities are
also positive in this experiment.

Since the tape moves as one unit, all points on it have the same velocity and
acceleration at each instant during the motion. Therefore, the motion of any
dot on the tape is representative of the tape's motion. Let us choose one of
the first few dots marked on the tape by the ticker timer, and analyze its
subsequent motion by measuring its position with respect to its initial
position (directly under the timer's hammer). In what follows we will refer
to this dot as the 0th point.

Let the initial time t0 = 0, and the initial x-coordinate and velocity of the
0th point be X0 = 0 and V0 = 0, respectively. At a later time ti (i = 1, 2, 3, ...),
the dot's position and velocity will be denoted by Xi and Vi, respectively.
The dots on the tape will be used to analyze the motion of the 0 th point.

Table 4.1 shows the definitions of quantities, their symbols, and the
equations used in the analysis.
III. PROCEDURE

SEE TABLE 4.1 FOR THE USED VARIABLES

1. Thread a ~1.0 m tape through the ticker timer and under the carbon
disc. See Figure 4.1.
2. Connect the ticker timer to the electrical power source.
3. While the ticker timer is turned on, pull the tape while
simultaneously swinging your hand in a random fashion to ensure
that the resulting acceleration of the tape is varying in magnitude and
direction.
4. Make sure you have at least 50 clearly defined dots on the tape before
starting the analysis.
5. Usually the first few dots on the tape are not well defined and you
can neglect them. Draw a circle around the first clearly defined dot;
this will be your reference 0 point (X0 = 0, t0 = 0). See Figure 4.2.
6. Count five dots after the 0th point and circle the last one. At this point
t1 = 0.1 s. See Figure 4.2.
7. Repeat the previous step for t2 = 0.2 s, t3 = 0.3 s, …, t10 = 1.0 s.
8. Measure Xi by a ruler. Record the measurements in Table 4.2.
9. Calculate ΔXi. Record the results in Table 4.2.
Note:

The displacements ΔX1, ΔX2, ΔX3 etc.., are covered in equal time
intervals, Δt = 0.10 s, and their values should be filled in the cells in
Table 4.2 corresponding to the center of the appropriate time interval.
For example, the values of ΔX1, ΔX2, ΔX3, etc. should be filled in the
cells corresponding to t = 0.05 s, t = 0.15 s, t = 0.25 s, etc. This is because
we will approximate the instantaneous velocity at the center of a time
interval by its average over the interval.
 Table 4.1
Note that all quantities (position, displacement, velocity, and acceleration)
in the table are those of the 0th point
Symbol Definition and Notes
ti Time taken by the 0th point to reach position Xi.
Xi Position of the 0th point with respect to X0 at ti.
Δt Regular spaced time intervals to study the motion.
t = ti+1 – ti
For this experiment Δt= 0.10 s.
Xi Displacement made by the 0th point during Δt.
Xi = Xi – Xi-1
In this experiment, Xi is always a positive quantity

Vi Average velocity

Xi
Vi 
t
Vi has the same sign as ΔXi. Therefore, Vi is always a positive
quantity.
Vi Velocity difference due to change of average velocity during Δt.

Vi  Vi  1 Vi

Vi may be positive or negative.

ai Average acceleration, and defined as the velocity difference per
unit time interval Δt,
Vi
ai 
t
ai has the same sign as Vi . Therefore, it can be positive,
negative, or zero. A negative sign indicates a decrease in velocity
with respect to the previous interval. Its absolute value will
determine the maximum and minimum accelerations.
Figure 4.2: A) A typical Ticker Timer tape. B) A blow-up of the rectangle enclosed by dashed lines (in A).
Table 4.2 - Useful Notes
- The average velocities ( Vi ) are computed for equal time intervals of

Δt = 0.10 s and entered in the cells corresponding to the centers of the

appropriate intervals (similar to the Xi's).
- The successive velocity differences V1 , V2 , V3 etc. occur over

equal time intervals of Δt = 0.10 s.

- The velocity differences Vi and the corresponding average

accelerations are entered at times 0.1 s, 0.2 s, 0.3 s, etc.

Note:
To determine maximum and minimum average velocities we know that
X
V and Δt is constant for all displacements. Therefore, V  X . That
t
is, maximum (minimum) average velocity occurs in the interval in which
the maximum (minimum) displacement was made.

V
Average acceleration, a  , is a function of velocity difference.
t
Hence, to determine maximum and minimum accelerations we should
look for two successive time intervals:
Acceleration is maximum when |Vi| is the largest.
Acceleration is minimum when |Vi| is the smallest.
Acceleration is zero when Vi is zero.
 Table 4.2

Index ti Xi ΔXi Vi Vi ai

(i) (s) (cm) (cm) (cm/s) (cm/s) (cm/s2)

0 0.00

0.05

1 0.10

0.15

2 0.20

0.25

3 0.30

0.35

4 0.40

0.45

5 0.50

0.55

6 0.60

0.65

7 0.70

0.75

8 0.80

0.85

9 0.90

0.95

10 1.00

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IV. DATA ANALYSIS
A) AVERAGE VELOCITIES AND ACCELERATIONS
► Answer the following questions
From your recorded measurements in Table 4.2, you should be able to
determine during which time intervals the average velocities and
accelerations are maximum? minimum? Record tour results in the
following two frames.

Velocity
Time interval during which the average velocity is maximum: ……………
Time interval during which the average velocity is minimum: …………

Acceleration

Time interval during which the average acceleration is maximum: …………

Time interval during which the average acceleration is minimum: …………

1. Calculate Vi ,Vi , and ai .

2. Record the calculations in Table 4.2.

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 B) ESTIMATING THE INSTANTANEOUS VELOCITY FROM THE
APPROXIMATION OF AVERAGE VELOCITY.
1. For each time interval (3rd column in Table 4.3), calculate V and record
your result in the last column of the table.
2. Record the displacements Xi in Table 4.3 as listed in Table 4.2.
3. Compute the instantaneous velocity at t = 0.6 s.

Table 4.3

t (s) X (cm) t (s) X (cm) V (cm/s)

T5 = 0.3 X3 =
T7 = 0.9 X9 =
t4 = 0.4 X4 =
t8 = 0.8 X8 =
t3 = 0.5 X5 =
t9 = 0.7 X7 =

C) X-t GRAPH
Using the data in Table 4.2, plot X versus t. Label your axes and include their
units. Connect the points with a smooth curve (Don’t use a ruler). The slope of
the tangent to the X-t curve at a given instant represents the instantaneous
velocity at that instant. The X-t graph can be used to determine:
- The instantaneous velocity at any time during the motion.
- The average velocity for any time interval during the motion.
- Time intervals during which the moving object is stationary, speeding up,
or slowing down.
► Answer the following
a) Calculate the instantaneous velocity at t = 0.6 s from the slope of the tangent

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 (Figure 4.3) to your X versus t graph at t = 0.6 s. Show your calculations in
detail on your graph.

Figure 4.3: Displacement versus time (non-uniform motion).

ti = ……………… s.
Vinst (ti) = ………………… cm/s.

Compare the calculated instantaneous velocity with the value from Table 4.3.
………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………
b) During which intervals does the velocity increase, decrease, or remain
constant? Mark the correct answer for each time interval by a () in Table
4.4.

Table 4.4
0.0 - 0.1

0.1 - 0.2

0.2 - 0.3

0.3 - 0.4

0.4 - 0.5

0.5 - 0.6

0.6 - 0.7

0.7 - 0.8

0.8 - 0.9

0.9 - 1.0

t (s)

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Increase
Decrease
Constant

D) V -t GRAPH
Refer to Table 4.2 and plot a histogram of V versus time. See Figure 4.4 below.
Label your axes and include their units.

Figure 4.4: Histogram of V versus time.

The height of the darkened line represents the value of the instantaneous velocity at ti.

A velocity-vs-time graph can be used to determine:

- The instantaneous velocity at any time.
- The total displacement from the area under the curve.
- The acceleration from the slope of the graph.
- The intervals during which the velocity is constant, increasing, or
decreasing.

In your histogram, connect the successive mid-points of the horizontal

segments with straight lines.

By joining two successive mid-points with straight lines we are assuming that

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the acceleration is constant during the intervals separating the points. Therefore,
the calculated average velocity for the time interval [ti-1,ti+1] will equal the
instantaneous velocity at the middle of this interval, at ti. See Figure 4.4.

► Answer the following:

a) Use the histogram to determine the value of the instantaneous velocity
at t = 0.6 s. Show your work on the graph.

Vinst (t = 0.6 s) = ………………… cm/s.

Compare with the instantaneous velocity from Table 4.3. Discuss.

………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………

b) Determine where the velocity is increasing, decreasing, or constant.

Indicate the correct answer for each time interval by a () in Table 4.5.

Table 4.5
0.05 - 0.15

0.15 - 0.25

0.25 - 0.35

0.35 - 0.45

0.4 5- 0.55

0.55 - 0.65

0.75 - 0.85

0.85 - 0.95
0.65- 0.75

t (s)

Increase
Decrease
Constant

c) Ask your instructor for which time interval [ti,tf] to use for calculating
the area under the V  t curve; see Figure 4.5 below. Record the area
in Table 4.6. This area represents the displacement made by the 0th

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 point during the chosen time interval.

Figure 4.5: Finding the displacement from the area under the velocity-time graph.

Table 4.6
ti = …………………………………….. tf = ……………………………………
Area under the curve from V  t graph = …………………………………….
Displacement from the paper tape =……………………………………………
Do the two measurements agree? Discuss.

E) a  t GRAPH
- Refer to Table 4.2 and plot a versus t. Label your axes.
- The a  t graph can be used to determine the maximum and minimum
accelerations.
Record your results in Table 4.7.

Table 4.7
Maximum Acceleration Minimum Acceleration
amax = amin =

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t(amax) = t(amin) =

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