NAME: REYNAN M. PINGOY PHYSICS 71.

1 SEC 1
GROUP NO.: 1 12:30 – 2:30 T
GROUPMATES: 2ND SEM 2009 - 2010
1. Stephen G. Abelada DATE PERFORMED: JANUARY 19, 2010
2. Janessa M. Demegillo
3. Rochelle R. Toseta

LAB ACTIVITY NO.: 4

UNIFORMLY ACCELERATED MOTION ON A LINEAR TRACK

I. OBJECTIVES:
1. To find the acceleration of a glider along a linear air track.
2. To construct and analyze graphs related to this type of motion.

II. DATA AND RESULTS:

SMALL GLIDER
x t1 t2 t3 t4 t5 AVE.
19.50 1.36 1.26 1.17 1.17 1.23 1.24
39.00 1.28 1.48 1.41 1.42 1.48 1.41
58.50 1.80 1.79 1.74 1.82 1.90 1.81
78.00 2.02 2.02 1.99 1.95 1.95 1.99
97.50 2.33 2.30 2.33 2.30 2.35 2.32
117.00 2.55 2.52 2.47 2.51 2.47 2.50
136.50 2.67 2.69 2.68 2.76 2.74 2.71
156.00 2.92 2.91 2.92 2.99 2.97 2.94
175.50 3.16 3.13 3.20 3.18 3.16 3.17
185.50 3.27 3.25 3.16 3.24 3.22 3.23

x t v = x/t
Trial No. vt t2 t2x t4
(cm) (sec) (cm/s)
1 19.50 1.24 15.73 19.51 1.54 30.03 2.36
2 39.00 1.41 27.66 39.00 1.99 77.61 3.95
3 58.50 1.81 32.32 58.50 3.28 191.88 10.73
4 78.00 1.99 39.20 78.00 3.96 308.88 15.82
5 97.50 2.32 42.03 97.51 5.38 524.55 28.97
6 117.00 2.50 46.80 117.00 6.25 731.25 39.06
7 136.50 2.71 50.37 136.50 7.34 1001.91 53.94
8 156.00 2.94 53.06 156.00 8.64 1347.84 74.71
9 175.50 3.17 55.36 175.50 10.05 1763.78 100.98
10 185.50 3.23 57.43 185.50 10.43 1934.77 108.85
Total 1063.00 23.32 419.96 1063.02 58.86 7912.50 439.37
TABLE 1. SMALL GLIDER

BIG GLIDER
 x t1 t2 t3 t4 t5 AVE.
19.50 1.00 0.47 1.00 0.96 0.99 0.98
39.00 1.39 1.45 1.43 1.45 1.42 1.43
58.50 1.77 1.75 1.81 1.83 1.78 1.79
78.00 2.04 2.05 2.02 2.04 2.06 2.04
97.50 2.38 2.20 2.24 2.25 2.26 2.27
117.00 2.56 2.59 2.59 2.53 2.55 2.56
136.50 2.63 2.72 2.77 2.77 2.88 2.75
156.00 2.93 2.91 2.97 2.95 2.91 2.93
175.50 3.06 3.09 3.11 3.13 3.16 3.11

x t v = x/t
Trial No. vt t2 t2x t4
(cm) (sec) (cm/s)
1 19.50 0.98 19.90 19.50 0.96 18.72 0.92
2 39.00 1.43 27.27 39.00 2.04 79.56 4.18
3 58.50 1.79 32.68 58.50 3.20 187.20 10.27
4 78.00 2.04 38.24 78.00 4.16 324.48 17.32
5 97.50 2.27 42.95 97.50 5.15 502.13 26.55
6 117.00 2.56 45.70 117.00 6.55 766.35 42.95
7 136.50 2.75 49.64 136.51 7.56 1031.94 57.19
8 156.00 2.93 53.24 156.00 8.58 1338.48 73.70
9 175.50 3.11 56.43 175.50 9.67 1697.09 93.55
Total 877.50 19.86 366.05 877.51 47.87 5945.95 326.63
TABLE 2. BIG GLIDER

Legend:
*x – distance in centimeters
*t – time in seconds
*v – velocity in centimeters per second

Length of the air track = 175.50 cm Height of inclination = 5.5 cm

heightofinclination 5.5
sinα=
lengthoftheairtrack = 175.50 = 0.031339031 ; α = 1.80o
a 2 o
theo = gsinα = (9.8 m/s )sin1.80 = 30.71225071 ≈ 30.71

FOR THE SMALL GLIDER:

Graph 1
1. See Table 1.
2. See Graphing Paper No. 1 (Time t vs. Velocity v – small glider).
3. The slope (m) of the best-fitted line for Graph No. 1 (Time t vs. Velocity v – small glider) is
18.68641464 ≈ 18.69 (See computations for the complete solution).
4. The y-intercept of the best-fitted line is -1.58908 (See computations for the complete solution).
 5. The equation of the best-fitted line is y = 18.69x – 1.58908 (See computations for the complete
solution).
6. The experimental acceleration is 37.37282928 m/s 2 ≈ 37.37 m/s2 (See computations for the
complete solution).
7. Comparing the experimental and theoretical acceleration using the percent difference formula, we
get 21.69% (See computations for the complete solution).

Graph 2
1. See Table 1.
2. See Graphing Paper No. 2 (Time2 t2 vs. Distance x – small glider).
3. The slope (m) of the best-fitted line for Graph No. 2 (Time 2 t2 vs. Distance x – small glider) is
17.81835221 ≈ 17.82 (See computations for the complete solution).
4. The y-intercept of the best-fitted line is 1.41148 (See computations for the complete solution).
5. The equation of the best-fitted line is y = 17.82x + 1.41148 (See computations for the complete
solution).
6. The experimental acceleration is 35.63670442 m/s 2 ≈ 35.64 m/s2(See computations for the
complete solution).
7. Comparing the experimental and theoretical acceleration using the percent difference formula, we
get 16.03% (See computations for the complete solution).

FOR THE BIG GLIDER:

Graph 3
1. See Table 2.
2. See Graphing Paper No. 3 (Time t vs. Velocity v – big glider).
3. The slope (m) of the best-fitted line for Graph No. 1 (Time t vs. Velocity v – big glider) is
17.24334256 ≈ 17.24(See computations for the complete solution).
4. The y-intercept of the best-fitted line is 2.629288889 (See computations for the complete solution).
5. The equation of the best-fitted line is y = 17.24x + 2.629288889 (See computations for the
complete solution).
6. The experimental acceleration is 34.48668512 m/s 2 ≈ 34.49 m/s2 (See computations for the
complete solution).
7. Comparing the experimental and theoretical acceleration using the percent difference formula, we
get 12.29% (See computations for the complete solution).

Graph 4
1. See Table 2.
2. See Graphing Paper No. 4 (Time2 t2 vs. Distance x – big glider).
3. The slope (m) of the best-fitted line for Graph No. 1 (Time 2 t2 vs. Distance x – big glider) is
17.75503365 ≈ 17.76 (See computations for the complete solution).
4. The y-intercept of the best-fitted line is 3.036533333 (See computations for the complete solution).
5. The equation of the best-fitted line is y = 17.76x + 3.036533333 (See computations for the
complete solution).
6. The experimental acceleration is 35.5100673 m/s 2 ≈ 35.51 m/s2 (See computations for the
complete solution).
7. Comparing the experimental and theoretical acceleration using the percent difference formula, we
get 15.62% (See computations for the complete solution).
III. COMPUTATIONS:

FOR THE SMALL GLIDER:

GRAPH 1

1. Calculating the slope (m) of the best-fitted line (Time t vs. Velocity v – small glider) using linear
regression equation:
n ∑ xy- ∑ x ∑ y (10)(1063.02)−(23.32)( 419.96)
2
m= n ∑ x 2−( ∑ x ) = (10)(58.86)−(23.32)2 = 18.68641464 ≈ 18.69

2. Computing for the y-intercept using the linear regression equation:

Σy Σx 419 . 96 23.32
b=
n
−m =
n 10
−(18 .69 )
10 ( ) = -1.58908
3. Given the slope (18.69) and the y-intercept (-1.58908), the equation of the best-fitted line is:

y = mx + b
y = 18.69x – 1.58908

4. Computing for the aexp:

1
a =slope(m)
2 exp
aexp = 2m
aexp = 2(18.68641464) = 37.37282928 m/s 2 ≈ 37.37 m/s2

5. % difference between aexp and atheo

a exp−a theo 37.37282928-30.71225071

| |×100% | |×100%
% difference = a theo = 30.71225071
= 21.68718354% ≈ 21.69%

GRAPH 2

1. Calculating the slope (m) of the best-fitted line Time 2 t2 vs. Distance x – small glider) using linear
regression equation:
n ∑ xy- ∑ x ∑ y (10)(7912.50)−(58.86)(1063.00)
2
m= n ∑ x 2−( ∑ x ) = (10)(439 .37)−(58.86)2 =17.81835221 ≈ 17.82
 2. Computing for the y-intercept using the linear regression equation:

Σy Σx 1063. 00 58 . 86
b=
n
−m =
n 10
−(17. 82)
10 ( )
= 1.41148
3. Given the slope (17.82) and the y-intercept (1.41148), the equation of the best-fitted line is:

y = mx + b
y = 17.82x + 1.41148

4. Computing for the aexp:

1
a =slope(m)
2 exp
aexp = 2m
aexp = 2(17.81835221) = 35.63670442 m/s 2 ≈ 35.64 m/s2

5. % difference between aexp and atheo

a exp −a theo 35.63670442 -30.71225071

| |×100% | |×100%
% difference = a theo = 30.71225071
= 16.03416746% ≈ 16.03%

FOR THE BIG GLIDER:

GRAPH 3

1. Calculating the slope (m) of the best-fitted line (Time t vs. Velocity v – big glider) using linear
regression equation:
n ∑ xy- ∑ x ∑ y (9)( 877.51)−(19.86)(366 .05)
2
m= n ∑ x 2−( ∑ x ) = (9)( 47.87)−(19 .86)2 = 17.24334256 ≈ 17.24

2. Computing for the y-intercept using the linear regression equation:

Σy Σx 366 .05 19 . 86
b=
n
−m =
n 9
−(17 . 24 )
9( ) = 2.629288889
3. Given the slope (18.69) and the y-intercept (-1.58908), the equation of the best-fitted line is:

y = mx + b
y = 17.24x + 2.629288889

4. Computing for the aexp:

 1
a =slope(m)
2 exp
aexp = 2m
aexp = 2(17.24334256) = 34.48668512 m/s 2 ≈ 34.49 m/s2

5. % difference between aexp and atheo

a exp−a theo 34.48668512 -30.71225071

| |×100% | |×100%
% difference = a theo = 30.71225071
= 12.28967048% ≈ 12.29%

GRAPH 4

1. Calculating the slope (m) of the best-fitted line (Time t vs. Velocity v – big glider) using linear
regression equation:
n ∑ xy- ∑ x ∑ y (9)(5945 .95)−( 47.87)(877 .50)
2
m= n ∑ x 2−( ∑ x ) = (9)(326.63)−(47.87)2 =17.75503365 ≈ 17.76

2. Computing for the y-intercept using the linear regression equation:

Σy Σx 877 .50 47 . 87
b=
n
−m =
n 9
−(17 . 76 )
9 ( ) = 3.036533333
3. Given the slope (17.76) and the y-intercept (3.036533333), the equation of the best-fitted line is:

y = mx + b
y = 17.76x + 3.036533333

4. Computing for the aexp:

1
a =slope(m)
2 exp
aexp = 2m
aexp = 2(17.75503365) = 35.5100673 m/s 2 ≈ 35.51 m/s2

5. % difference between aexp and atheo

a exp −a theo 35.5100673 -30.71225071

| |×100% | |×100%
% difference = a theo = 30.71225071
= 15.62183324% ≈ 15.62%

IV. ANALYSIS AND COMMENTS:

 The straight path or the linear air track in the experiment was inclined. The angle was formed
between the inclination of the linear air track with the horizontal and was determined using the measured
length of the air track and the height to which it was inclined. Two gliders, one which is small and the other
which is big, were glided on the said linear air track at specific distances. The time traveled by each glider
was measured at each specific distances assigned. After several trials, the different experimental
accelerations were determined the same with the theoretical acceleration. Both gliders, small and big,
have the same theoretical accelerations since the inclination wasn’t changed. Acceleration (experimental)
of different gliders was compared with the theoretical acceleration by computing the percent error. The
result gave 21.69 % as the highest percent error and 12.89 % as the lowest percent error. These were
quite large hence; the theoretical acceleration is still more reliable than the experimental acceleration.
Experimental acceleration after all was used to determine the following conclusions:

1. Acceleration depends on both distance and time. 

2. Constant acceleration plots as a straight line on a distance vs. time graph. 
3. The steepness of the line on the distance vs. time graph is a measure of acceleration. 
4. Uniform acceleration means that the velocity increases by the same amount in each time interval. 
5. Acceleration depends on both velocity and time.
6. Uniformly accelerated motion plots as a straight line on a velocity vs. time graph. 
7. The slope of a graph of velocity vs. time represents acceleration while the area of the graph
represents the distance traveled. 

As a whole, uniform acceleration depends on both distance traveled by an object and its
velocity versus the time it took to cover specific distance.