Dynamics Track

The Dynamics track is the real workhorse of our labs and all of its bells and whistles make it a robust tool for exploration. Explore kinematics, friction, forces, work, energy, and more.

Topics and Objectives:

• Position, velocity, and acceleration. Use your data to learn how they are related to one another.
• Explore the distinction between static and kinetic friction.
• Investigate the nature of vector forces.
• Apply Newton’s Second Law to systems of masses connected by pulleys.
• Study conservation of Mechanical Energy for a cart moving along an incline.
• Examine the non-conservative nature of the friction force.

Activities:

• Velocity Lab – Student Version (PDF)
• Acceleration Lab – Student Version (PDF)
• Pulleys, Ramps, and Friction Lab – Student Version (PDF)
• Freefall, Apparent Weight, and Friction Lab – Student Version (PDF)
• Work & Energy Lab – Student Version (PDF)

Preset Unknowns:

• Several unknown static and kinetic friction coefficients
• Several unknown initial velocities

Support:

• Dynamics Track – User’s Guide (PDF)