Cart on Cart, 1F30.30

Topic and Concept:

Newton's First Law, [:Newtons1STLaw#InertiaofMotion: 1F30. Inertia of Motion]

Location:

Cabinet: [:MechanicsCabinet:Mechanic (ME)]
Bay: [:MechanicsCabinetBayA5:(A5)]
Shelf: #2

attachment:CartOnCart03-400.jpg

Abstract:

A small cart is free to move on top of a large rolling cart which comes to a sudden stop. The cart continues to move due to the cart's inertia.

Equipment	Location	ID Number

Pasco Carts	ME, Bay B1, Shelf #2
Long and Short Tracks	ME, Bay B1, Shelf #2
Wood Blocks	ME, Bay B1, Shelf #2

Important Setup Notes:

Setup and Procedure:

Level the longer track on the table.
Place two cars on this track.
Position the two cars such that their outtermost ends are the length of the smaller track appart.
Place the smaller track on top of these such that it is supported in a stable position.
Place the third car on top of this track section.
By applying equal force simultaneously to both the top track(thereby setting the bottom two cars into motion) and the top car, set the system in motion.

Cautions, Warnings, or Safety Concerns:

Discussion:

When the whole system is set into motion, all carts obtain some particular velocity which would remain constant as per Newton's first law if air resistance and friction were not present. When the two carts on the bottom layer and the track resting on top of them collide with the wood block on the end of the bottommost track, they change their velocity. However, the top car remains in motion with its original velocity until reaches the end of the top track, putting a new force on the top car making its net externally applied force nonzero and therefore changing its velocity.

attachment:CartOnCart01-250.jpg

attachment:CartOnCart02-250.jpg

attachment:CartOnCart04-250.jpg

attachment:CartOnCart05-250.jpg

Videos:

[https://www.youtube.com/user/LectureDemostrations/videos?view=1 Lecture Demonstration's Youtube Channel]

References:

[:Instructional:Home]

-  ⇤ ← Revision 2 as of 2012-07-20 20:49:42 → 
  Size: 1622
  Editor: srnarf
  Comment:
+   ← Revision 4 as of 2012-07-20 20:59:36 → ⇥
  Size: 2532
  Editor: srnarf
  Comment:
-Deletions are marked like this.
+Additions are marked like this.
 Line 22:
-||apparatus||ME, Bay B1, Shelf #2|| ||
||all other parts||ME, Bay B1, Shelf #2|| ||
||...||ME, Bay B1, Shelf #2|| ||
+||Pasco Carts||ME, Bay B1, Shelf #2|| ||
||Long and Short Tracks||ME, Bay B1, Shelf #2|| ||
||Wood Blocks||ME, Bay B1, Shelf #2|| ||
 Line 33:
-. List steps for setup then procedure.
 1. ...
+. Level the longer track on the table.
 1. Place two cars on this track.
 1. Position the two cars such that their outtermost ends are the length of the smaller track appart.
 1. Place the smaller track on top of these such that it is supported in a stable position.
 1. Place the third car on top of this track section.
 1. By applying equal force simultaneously to both the top track(thereby setting the bottom two cars into motion) and the top car, set the system in motion.
-Line 42:
+Line 46:
-Discuss the physics behind the demonstration, explaining some of the various steps of the demonstration when appropriate.
+When the whole system is set into motion, all carts obtain some particular velocity which would remain constant as per Newton's first law if air resistance and friction were not present. When the two carts on the bottom layer and the track resting on top of them collide with the wood block on the end of the bottommost track, they change their velocity. However, the top car remains in motion with its original velocity until reaches the end of the top track, putting a new force on the top car making its net externally applied force nonzero and therefore changing its velocity.

fw: Diff for "Cart_on_Cart"

Cart on Cart, 1F30.30