Question

Rolling Friction questions.

A- How can I quantitatively test Newtons 2nd law for a ball rolling down a wooden ramp using

Ball, wooden ramp, motion sensor, Logger Pro software, computer, meter stick, stopwatch, digital balance, spring scale?

B- How can I determine the coefficient of rolling fiction between the ball and wooden ramp if I lay the ramp flat (no tilt) using the same equipment?

Answer 1

Newtons second law states that, Force is equal to the product of mass and acceleration

F=m*a

Using the digital and spring balance we can check the mass of the ball.

After checking the mass of the ball let us make the ball for oscillate by using stick. Just make the ball and stick in contact and we can make it in oscillate. Find the velocity, time and using that calculate the acceleration.

Compare the force and the force that we calculated and check whether thay are equal. It will be equal and it shows the proof of Newton's second law.

A way that _R is determined is by rolling a wheel at some measured initial velocity and then measuring the time that it takes to stop. The equation is

_R = v/(tg)

where:

v is the initial velocity

t is the time it takes to stop

g is the acceleration of gravity 9.8 m/s² or 32 ft/s²

v/(tg) is v divided by the quantity t times g

This method and equation can be used with hard or soft wheels. Although it does not require the weight or size of the wheel to be known, it only applies for a wheel similar to that being measured.