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Circular Motion Experiment Subesh (Unedited)

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Subesh Shanmugam
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139 views

Circular Motion Experiment Subesh (Unedited)

Uploaded by

Subesh Shanmugam
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Circular Motion Experiment

What’s the experiment about?


In this experiment, an object in uniform circular motion moves at a constant speed by a
force directed towards the centre of the circle which is the centripetal force.
Aim: To investigate the uniform circular motion
Hypothesis: The greater the mass, the shorter span of time taken for 1 oscillation of orbiting
the rubber stopper.
Manipulated Variable: Mass
Responding Variable: Time taken for 1 oscillation of orbiting the rubber stopper
Constant Variable:

 Type of string
 Mass of rubber stopper
Apparatus:

 Meter ruler -Scissors


 Plastic handle
 Weights
 Weight hanger
 Crocodile clip
 String
 Stop watch
 Rubber stopper

Set up: Scissors

Plastic
Rubber handle
stopper

Crocodile Weights
clip

PROCEDURE:

1. Thread the string through the hole in the rubber stopper and tie the string back onto itself.
2. Thread the free end of the string through the handle. The length of the thread between the
rubber stopper and the handle should be approximately one meter.

3. Hold the free end of the thread firmly in one hand and the handle in the other. Swing the
rubber stopper slowly in a horizontal circle overhead.

4. Try swinging the rubber stopper at a constant speed and slowly let some thread out to
increases the radius of the circle.

5. Return the string to its original one-meter length and slip a paper clip over the thread just
below the handle. Tie a loop in the free end of the tread. Hang the weight hanger and a
sufficient amount of weights on the weight hanger.

6. Slowly begin to swing the rubber stopper overhead. Increase the speed of the rotation until
the marking paper clip is just below the bottom of the handle (DO NOT TOUCH THE
HANDLE).

7. Measure the time taken for 20 oscillations using the stopwatch

8. Repeat the steps 1-7 with different weights.

9. Tabulate the results accordingly into the table and construct a graph using the results

Safety and ethical risk:


 All persons involved must wear safety googles
 Make sure nobody is near when the apparatus is swinging to ensure it hit them
 Check whether the materials are working before starting the experiment.
 There should be staff/teacher present in the lab when conducting the experiment

Data Tabulation:

M/g Time taken, T for 20 oscillations T for 1 1 2


/s
1 2 3 Average oscillation,T/s T2
10 13.22 12.10 12.17 12.50 0.63 2.52
20 12.13 11.39 11.58 11.70 0.59 2.87
30 11.02 10.56 10.92 10.83 0.54 3.43
40 9.01 8.90 9.27 9.06 0.45 4.94
50 8.43 8.51 8.04 8.33 0.42 5.67
60 7.40 8.67 8.50 8.19 0.41 5.95

Data Analysis:
Mass of rubber stopper=12.44g , Radius(r) = 0.4m , Gravity (g)=9.8ms -2
g
=gradient Coordinates for gradient: (60, 5.95), (20, 2.87)
4 Π 2 rm
9 ⋅8 2.87−5.95
m= 2 m=
4 Π r ( gradient ) 0.02−0.06
9.8
= 2 = 77
4 Π ( 0 ⋅4 )( 77 )

=8.059 X 10-3kg

=8.06g

Using the information above, the % Error is calculated to see how close the experimental
value is to the actual value.
experimental value−actual value
% Error= x 100
actual value
8.06−12.44
= x 100
12.44

=35.21%

Evaluation and Error Discussion:


The collected data shows that the hypothesis is proven as there is a positive correlation between the
1
mass and 2
∕ s 2. The average time taken for 1 oscillation of orbiting the rubber stopper decreases
T
as mass increases. The calculation above are shown to compare the accuracy and precision of the
experiment conducted. The precision of the experiment is high as the scattered points are close to
the best fit line. Thus, this indicates that there’s possibilities of random errors slightly affecting the
results. A potential random error could have been the stopwatch wasn’t calibrated correctly thus
changing time taken for 1 oscillation. Human reaction time at starting and stopping the stopwatch
could act as a random error. Another possible error could have caused by the person who spins the
apparatus may have gotten tired or different people spins the apparatus thus varying in different
speeds which affects the time taken for 20 oscillations. It was also difficult task to maintain the
radius of motion the same throughout the experiment though

As shown above, the percentage error is 35.21% which is high and the graph doesn’t pass through
the origin thus proving that the accuracy of the experiment is low though the graph is directly
proportional. There are possible systematic errors affecting the accuracy despite following the
instructions. Systematic error could be caused by the elasticity of the string. The string used could
have gotten thinner and weaker by the force applied on it which could affect the radius and may not
be constant throughout. Another factor could have an additional force acting on the experiment
such as air resistance as there’s collisions of the object with the air molecules and the experiment
was conducted in air-conditioned lab. The reliability of the experiment cannot be said as different
people conducted with different hypothesis. The evaluation of experiment concludes that despite all
the errors which could have affected the data, the hypothesis of the experiment is still proven as the
mass increases, time taken for 1 oscillation decreases.

Conclusion:
According to theory, in order for an object to maintain a uniform circular motion (motion in a circle
at a constant speed), there should be an inward force acting on the object which is more commonly
known as Centripetal force. The centripetal force for uniform circular motion is to alter the direction
of the object without changing the speed. Centripetal force is the force that causes centripetal
acceleration where the object moves in high velocity and will experience a large acceleration.

The formula for centripetal force:


Relating to this experiment, as the mass increases, the time taken for 1 oscillation increases. The
centripetal force increases to orbit the rubber stopper in a uniform circular motion as the mass
increases. Probably, the limitations of the experiment would have been minimised if the possible
errors were taken in account. The experiment was repeated three times for each weight to be more
accurate. Overall, the experiment was fairly conducted and the hypothesis of the experiment is
proven though the accuracy is distorted as there were potential systematic errors disturbing the
results as mentioned above.

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