A modern Galileo expirement

Experiment: Modern Galileo ExperimentName: Trevor GustafsonLab Partners: Christian Sutherland, Chris JonesConducted on: Monday January the 14 starting at approximately 12:20 and ending at approximately 1:45


Intro
The purpose of this lab experiment was to determine the effect of gravity on a cart’s acceleration in three different scenarios: level, uphill, downhill. I predicted going into this experiment that on a level plain, the cart’s speed after a slight push would stay nearly constant with only a slight slowing. It was also predicted that a cart’s speed would dramatically increase when placed on a downhill slope. Finally it was predicted that a carts speed would dramatically decrease after being pushed up an uphill slope.



Preliminary questionsQuestion #1 - List some observations that led people of Galileo’s time to believe that heavier objects fall faster than lighter objects · Something like a feather floats around in the wind, and takes longer to fall than something like a rock which falls nearly straight down.Question #2 – Drop a textbook and crumpled piece of paper from the same height at the same time. Do this 3 times. Did the textbook hit first, last, or at the same time consistently? · Basically at the same time a): Why did this happen? The book is denser and thus wants to drop faster, but it also has more
air to overcomeQuestion #3 – Try this with a flat sheet of paper and the crumpled piece of paper. Do this 3 times. Did one hit first or last, or did they hit at the same time consistently. · The crumpled piece of paper hit sooner. a): Why did this happen? Because the air resistance caused the light piece of paper to slowly drift down to earth, but the crumpled piece of paper did not have as much air to overcome.
AnalysisQuestion #1 - Did each of your experimental graphs resemble their predicted graph? Was your hypothesis correct in each case? If not, why? What could the reason be? · The graphs were basically as predicted · Yes it was
Question #2 - Calculate the change in time between each of the points in your data table above. Enter these values in the right column of the data table. Do this for each experiment.
· See data Table 1 “Data collected from pushing a cart on a level surface” · See data Table 2 “Data collected from releasing a cart on a down hill slope” · See data Table 3 “Data collected from pushing a cart uphill”Question #3 – Calculate the change in position between each of the points in your data table above. Enter these values in the right column of the data table. Do this for each experiment. · See data Table 1 “Data collected from pushing a cart on a level surface” · See data Table 2 “Data collected from releasing a cart on a down hill slope” · See data Table 3 “Data collected from pushing a cart uphill”Question #4 – Calculate the average speed for each portion of the trip. Do this for each experiment. · See data Table 1 “Data collected from pushing a cart on a level surface” · See data Table 2 “Data collected from releasing a cart on a down hill slope” · See data Table 3 “Data collected from pushing a cart uphill”Question #5 – Plot the data of speed versus time. Do this and answer the questions below for each experiment · See graph – “CTC’s Straight Data Graph” · See graph – “CTC’s Downhill Data Graph” · See graph – “CTC’s Uphill Data Graph” a): Is there a general trend pattern in the data? If so, describe it · For the straight graph the data goes down left to right
· For the downhill graph the data goes up left to right
· For the uphill graph the data goes down left to right

b): Describe what is happening to the speed during the experiment. · During the straight experiment, the cart slowly slowed down. · During the downhill experiment, the cart steadily speed up · During the uphill experiment, the cart steadily slowed down
Conclusion
· A cart’s speed will decrees only slightly when pushed along a very smooth, level surface
· A cart’s speed will increase when released down a downhill slope
· After being given a push, a cart’s speed will decrees on an uphill slope