PASCO PS-2138 Goniometer - Manual (Page 18)

Goniometer Experiment
18 ®
Centripetal Acceleration
5) Look at graphs of Angular Velocity vs. Time and Centripetal
Acceleration vs. Time together. * How are the graphs related?
6) The Acceleration Sensor was oriented so that acceleration toward the
elbow was measured as positive. When the angular velocity of your
arm was positive, was the centripetal acceleration of your hand toward
or away from your elbow?
7) When the angular velocity of your arm was negative, was the
centripetal acceleration of your hand toward or away from your
elbow?
8) Create a graph of Centripetal Acceleration vs. Angular Velocity. *
The theoretical relationship between Centripetal Acceleration (a
C
) and
Angular Velocity (
ω) is a
C
= r
ω 2
, where r is a constant. Does your data
appear to support this relationship? Explain your reasoning.
9) Create a graph of a
C
versus
ω 2
. Apply a linear fit. According to the
slope of the best-fit line, what is the value of r (including units)?
r = (from best-fit line)
10) Compare this value to the distance from your elbow to the acceleration
sensor.
*Centripetal
Acceleration is
measured by the
sensor as
“Acceleration, X.”
*Plot Centripetal
Acceleration on the
vertical axis and
Angular Velocity on
the horizontal axis.