Incline Plane Activity

COSAM Departments Physics Introductory Courses Undergraduate Laboratory Physics 1500/1600 Activities Incline Plane


Pre-lab  (Follow this link to print the Pre-lab for this activity)

Incline Plane Activity  (Follow this link to print the Procedure/Data Sheet)

Notice: Printing in the Auburn University Physics Labs will result in your Bursar's Account being charged 50 cents ($0.50) per page.

For Part I of the Activity, the students are required to determine the amount of hanging mass that is required to keep the cart from moving on the incline.  In this case, the cart mass is 821.7g, and the angle is 11.0 degrees.  Therefore, a theoretical mass of 156.8 g should be necessary to achieve equilibrium.  Typically as long as the actual mass that is hung is within +/- 2.5 g of the theoretical mass, the cart will not move on the incline.  In this case 156.0 g put the system in equilibrium.

Note that the cord to the force sensor is being held in such a way as to minimize the effects of the cord's mass on the system.

incline plane i

In Part II, the students will be required to determine the tension in the string when the cart is moving on the incline.  The hanging mass in this situation will not be the mass required to keep the system in equilibrium.  When the cart is released, the cart will move up or down the incline.

In the picture, a hand is preventing the cart from moving.  By definition for this activity, the tension in the string while the cart is being held will be defined as the "Static" Tension.  When the cart is released, the cart will move up or down the incline, and the tension in the string while the cart is in motion will be defined as the "Dynamic" Tension.

Again the cord to the force sensor is being held to minimize its effects on the system.

part 2

Test Pre-lab -- NOT FOR STUDENT USE -- Use the pre-lab at the top of the page