Option A: Newton's Second Law and Unbalanced Forces Calculations
Access the Newton's Second Law and Unbalanced Forces Calculations and complete the problem set using the printable version. Make sure to completely answer each question and to show all of your work. Once you have completed the Newton's Second Law and Unbalanced Forces Calculations, please submit your work to the dropbox.
Option B: Newton's Second Law Scientific Investigation
Sir Isaac Newton
Before you begin the scientific investigation below, make sure to download the Newton's Second Law Scientific Investigation Report. As you complete this scientific investigation, fill in any needed information on the report template. If you need more information about each section of the report, please visit the Developmental Module.
This scientific investigation is available below or in a printable version.
Newton's Laws describe motion and forces in the world around us. Objects have inertia, undergo acceleration, and experience forces. Forces are measured in Newtons (N).
Newton's First Law states that an object at rest will remain at rest, and an object in motion will remain in motion with a constant velocity, unless acted upon by an unbalanced external force. Newton's Second Law describes what happens when unbalanced forces act on an object.
Objectives
In this scientific investigation, you will:
Hypothesis
Using the Procedure and Data Collection section below, read through the procedural information for this scientific investigation. Based on your understanding of the procedure, develop your own hypotheses which describe your expected results. What do you think the relationship between acceleration and force and the relationship between acceleration and mass will be? Record these hypotheses in the Hypothesis section of your Newton's Second Law Scientific Investigation Report.
Required Simulation
Forces in 1 Dimension Simulation
(click on image below to run simulation)
Provided by:
PhET Interactive Simulations
University of Colorado
http://phet.colorado.edu
Procedure and Data Collection
Simulation Set-Up
Effect of Force on Acceleration
Effect of Mass on Acceleration
Data
Use the data tables provided on your Newton's Second Law Scientific Investigation Report to record your data from this scientific investigation. The data tables are also shown below:
Effect of Force on Acceleration Data Table
Applied Force | Cabinet Mass | Acceleration (m/s2) |
100.0 N | 200.0 kg | |
200.0 N | 200.0 kg | |
400.0 N | 200.0 kg |
Effect of Mass on Acceleration Data Table
Applied Force | Object | Mass (kg) | Acceleration (m/s2) |
200.0 N | File Cabinet | ||
200.0 N | Refrigerator | ||
200.0 N | Crate | ||
200.0 N | Sleepy Dog |
Data Analysis
In the Data Analysis section of your Newton's Second Law Scientific Investigation Report, provide responses to the following questions:
Effect of Force on Acceleration
Effect of Mass on Acceleration
Conclusion
Using the Conclusion section of your Newton's Second Law Scientific Investigation Report, compose three to four sentences describing an overall conclusion about the relationship between acceleration and force and the relationship between acceleration and mass, based on your data. Were your hypotheses true or false, and how do you know? Use the data and notes that you collected from your simulation experience to form your conclusion. Make sure that you include information that you gained from data analysis to support your conclusion.
Experimental Sources of Error
On your Newton's Second Law Scientific Investigation Report, provide responses to the following questions: Are there any sources of error? If so, what are they, and what could be done to minimize error?
Once you have completed the Newton's Second Law Scientific Investigation Report, please submit your work to the dropbox.