Basic Idea:

• Measure the acceleration of a cart on an inclined track. This setup is identical to the Conservation of Energy experiment, with the addition of an accessory photogate unit.

• 6 

	What:	How Many:	Where:
New This Week
	Accessory Photogate See photo below	1	non-Majors Storeroom, BB4
	Accessory Photogate Stand (base and rod)	1	non-Majors Storeroom, BB4
	Short Wood platform About 4 cm tall - needed for silver tracks only!!	1	non-Majors Storeroom, shelf J3
Already Installed
	Air Tracks	1	non-Majors Storeroom, on top of shelves
	Gold Air Cart	1	non-Majors Storeroom, shelf N4
	Cart flag	1	non-Majors Storeroom, shelf N4 (in box labeled “Gold Air Cart Accessories”)
	Drafting board (silver tracks)	1	non-Majors Storeroom, shelf J2
	Small wood "backstop" (silver tracks)	1	non-Majors Storeroom, shelf N4
	Large bench clamp (silver tracks)	2	non-Majors storeroom, shelf C4
	Tall Wood platform About 9 cm tall	1	non-Majors Storeroom, shelf J3
	Photogate Timer	1	non-Majors Storeroom, BB3
	2-Meterstick	1	non-Majors Storeroom, shelf AA1
	Meterstick calipers	2	non-Majors storeroom, shelf AA3
	Vernier calipers	1	non-Majors storeroom, shelf AA4

Notes:

• Lab Setup (same as last week, with the addition of an accessory photogate - see the photo details page):
  • Black tracks: Note that the accessory photogate sits on top of the wood platform, beneath the air track, and the photogate timer sits on the bench. The flag needs to be at the front edge of the carts so that the timer can be tripped when the cart hits the 40 cm mark. See the setup photos for details
  • Silver tracks: the accessory photogate sits on top of a second, lower wood platform or chunk of 2×6. See the setup photos for details

• Accessory Photogate unit:

  
  Image courtesy of PASCO Scientific