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Motion

Measuring g and investigating motion experimentally

  • 3 things to know
  • Papers 1 and 3

Overview

Recall questions on the trapdoor-and-electromagnet and two-light-gate methods for measuring g, and on air-track gliders, ticker timers, light gates and data-loggers for investigating motion.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Evaluation

How are the velocities at each light gate calculated?

Process

What measurement is taken for the fall distance in the trapdoor method?

Evaluation

What advantage do air-track gliders offer when investigating motion?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Which equation is used to calculate g from the trapdoor experiment, and why?

    Model answer

    s = ½gt² is used because the ball starts from rest (u = 0), so displacement depends only on g and time.

  2. 2

    In the light-gate method for measuring g, what property must the falling object have?

    Model answer

    The object must have a known length (e.g., a card of measured width) so that velocity can be calculated from the time it takes to pass through each gate.

  3. 3

    What does the first light gate record in the two-light-gate experiment?

    Model answer

    It records the time taken for the object of known length to pass through, allowing calculation of the velocity at that point.

  4. 4

    What does the second light gate record in the two-light-gate experiment?

    Model answer

    It records the time for the object to pass through, enabling calculation of the velocity at that lower position.

  5. 5

    How are the velocities at each light gate calculated?

    Model answer

    Velocity equals the known length of the object divided by the time it takes to pass through the gate.

  6. 6

    What role do data-loggers play in motion experiments?

    Model answer

    Data-loggers automatically record measurements such as time, position or velocity at regular intervals, enabling accurate and detailed analysis of motion.

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