PAG 1.3 - Investigating Initial Speed And Stopping Distance Flashcards
What is an interrupt card?
An interrupt card is a length of car of known length, and it is attached to a moving object at the height of the light gate, and cuts the beam as it passes through it
How can initial velocity be calculated from the data from the light gates?
Light gates will record time taken for card to pass through
Length of card / time = velocity
Where should the light gate be set-up in this experiment and what does it record?
Should be positioned at the start of the meter ruler, so it can measure the initial speed of the block
When pushing the block, why must you release it before it passes through the light-gate?
If you are still applying a force, it will cause the block to accelerate, leading to inaccurate results
Why does the block eventually come to a stop?
Due to the frictional force acting between the block and the surface
Describe the energy transfers that take place in this experiment
The kinetic energy is converted into thermal energy as work done against friction
0.5 m v2 = F d
What assumptions about friction do we make in this experiment?
Frictional force is constant across the distance travelled, fair due to relatively slow speeds
What is the relationship between stopping distance and initial velocity?
V2 is directly proportional to d
Predict how the stopping distance will change when the initial velocity is doubled
Stopping distance will quadruple \
Why is it important the material of the block is the same throughout the experiment?
Frictional force does not change throughout the experiment
What graph should be plotted with the data from this experiment?
Stopping distance against velocity squared
Since the quantities are proportional, should be a straight time through the origin
Why can repeat readings not be taken when carrying out this experiment
Difficult to achieve same exact initial velocity each time
