Newton's Laws of Motion

Lab #1: Hover Disc:

In the Hover Disc Lab, we went down to the gym foyet and discovered what gives rise to a change in motion. We observed the disco at rest, in motion, and while it was being pushed. Then, we took note of the change in motion and documented it in an interaction diagram and a free body diagram.

When the disc was at rest and in motion, there was a gravitational and normal force between each person and the earth and the disc and the earth. The normal force was going upward and the gravitational force downward in the free body diagram. When the disc was being pushed by either person, there was a gravitational and normal force between each person and the earth and the disc and the earth. There was also a normal force between the disc and the person pushing it. In the free body diagram, there was a normal force going upward and to the right, and a gravitational force going downward.

Newton's 3rd Law of Motion:

This lab allows us to act upon Newton's 3rd Law of Motion, which states that when two objects interact, they exert equal and opposite force on each other.These objects are equal magnitude, opposite in direction, and the same type of force.

Lab #2: Fan Cart:

In our Fan Cart Lab, we discovered the relationship between mass, force, and acceleration. First, we found our slope, or constant force of .15 N. Then, we added mass to our fan cart to observe the affect on the acceleration. Below is an image of our data:

Newton's 1st and 2nd Laws of Motion:

From our data, we derived the equation: force= mass x acceleration. This equation happens to be Newton's 2nd Law of Motion. This affects Newton's 1st Law of Motion, which states that an object at rest or traveling at a constant speed will continue to do so, unless a net force acts on it. 

Real World Connection:

Below is a video, which describes Newton's three laws of motion, and involves connections to our everyday life:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVdqxYyFRKY