Measuring acceleration practical (v=s/t, a=(v-u)/t)
I can explain how to measure acceleration accurately.
Measuring acceleration practical (v=s/t, a=(v-u)/t)
I can explain how to measure acceleration accurately.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- A dynamics trolley has a steady acceleration down a steep ramp.
- Acceleration = change of velocity / time and change in velocity = final velocity - initial velocity
- Light gates can improve accuracy of measurement of instantaneous velocity and reduces random errors.
- Using video recording will allow for accurate measurement of small time intervals.
Keywords
Acceleration - The acceleration of an object is the change in velocity per second.
Velocity - The velocity of an object is the change in displacement per second.
Dynamics trolley - A dynamics trolley is a wheeled object used in experiments. It moves very smoothly over flat surfaces.
Common misconception
Pupils often think that final velocity is proportional to acceleration and do not take into account the time over which an object is accelerating.
Compare how many times greater the calculated accelerations of two sets of readings are compared to how many times greater the final velocities are.
Content guidance
- Risk assessment required - equipment
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
velocity -
the speed of an object in a particular direction
rate -
the amount of change every second
acceleration -
the rate of change of velocity
deceleration -
the decrease in velocity every second
$$v – u$$ -
the symbols used to represent change in velocity
velocity -
a vector measured in m/s
distance -
a scalar measured in m
acceleration -
a vector measured in m/s$$^2$$
speed -
a scalar measured in m/s
displacement -
a vector measured in m