PASCO ME-9486 BALLISTIC CART ACCESSORY - Manual (Page 19)

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012-05460A Ballistic Cart Accessory
Experiment 6: Accelerating Cart - Demonstration
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
– Ballistic Cart Accessory (ME-9486)
– Dynamics Cart and track
– Drop Rod Accessory (ME-9487)
– String
– Clamp-on pulley
– 50 gram mass and mass hanger
Purpose
This demonstration shows that when the ball is dropped from the drop rod on a cart that is accel-
erating, the ball will not land in the cart.
Procedure
➀
Prior to the beginning of the demonstration, perform the Setup procedure.
➁
Position the drop rod so that the ball will be directly over the cup.
➂ Clamp the pulley to the end of the track. Attach a string (about 1 meter long) to the cart and pass
it over the pulley. Hang about 50 grams on the string. See Figure 6.1.
➃ Put the photogate trip bracket in a position where it
will drop the ball after the cart has begun to move.
➄ Start the cart as far back as possible, hang the ball
on the drop rod, and release the cart. In this case,
the ball will fall behind the cart.
➤ CAUTION! You must catch the cart with your
hand before the cart reaches the end stop on the
track because the cart will derail when it’s moving
fast.
Drop Rod
Accessory
string
50g
modified
pink ball
trip bracket
end stop
pulley
table
Figure 6.1: Accelerating Cart