PASCO PS-2141 Force Platform - Manual (Page 4)

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F o r c e P l a t f o r m Su g g e s te d A c ti v i t i e s
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force versus time plot is the impulse. How does the impulse of jumping compare to
the impulse of landing? Using the measured impulse, calculate your launch velocity.
Compare the velocity measured by a motion sensor to the velocity calculated from the
impulse. Why are they not necessarily equal?
Horizontal Impulse
Hang the Force Platform on a wall. Press the tare button. Sit on a rolling chair, a
kinesthetics cart (SE-8747), or a hovercraft (ME-9838) and push off against the plat-
form. Measure the impulse, or the area under a plot of force versus time. How is the
impulse related to your momentum immediately after pushing off?
Use a motion sensor (PS- 2103) to measure your velocity as you push off. Use this
velocity to calculate your momentum and compare it to the impulse. (Remember to
take into account the mass of the person and the chair, cart, or hovercraft.)
Force Distribution (With a Single Platform)
On a graph, display the separate force measurements of each of the platform's four
beams. Stand on the platform and slowly shift your weight from your left foot to your
right foot. Slowly shift your weight from your heels to your toes. What happens to the
forces measured at the four corners of the platform? What happens to the sum of these
forces?
Force Distribution (With Two Platforms)
Place two Force Platforms on the floor, and place two parallel boards (as pictured) to
act as a bridge. Press the tare buttons. Place a heavy ball on the boards. Set up a
motion sensor (PS-2103) to measure the position of the ball. While collecting data,
give the ball a push so that it rolls along the boards.
What is the relationship between the position of the ball and the force measured by
each platform? How does the sum of the forces change?
Calculate the changing torques applied to the boards by each platform and the ball as
the ball rolls. How does the sum of the torques change?