Acceleration

What does the word “acceleration” mean?

The change in velocity each second.

Acceleration

How many speeds ( or “velocities”) would you need to have to work out an acceleration?

2

Acceleration

What words mean “the speed at a moment in time”?

Instantaneous Speed

Acceleration

How did you measure “instantaneous speed”?

Pass an object through a light gate attached to a timer.

Then

“instantaneous speed = object length / time to cut beam”

Power SupplyTimer

X

Light gate

Acceleration

What letter did we use for “initial speed” ?

u

Acceleration

What letter did we use for “final speed” ?

v

Acceleration

What equation did we come up with for acceleration “a” ?

a = (v – u) / t

Measuring Acceleration

TASK SHEET

In your groups design an experiment to measure the acceleration of an object on a slope.

Report on your experiment as a group poster …

TITLE

AIM

METHOD (inc diagram)

MEASUREMENTS

Measuring Acceleration

Report on your experiment as a group poster …

TITLE

AIM

METHOD (inc diagram)

MEASUREMENTS (a few runs for an average)

TABLE OF RESULTS (with correct units!)

CALCULATIONS

CONCLUSION

IMPROVEMENT SUGGESTIONS

Measuring Acceleration Experiment

Timer t 1Timer t 2

Stopwatch

Measurements

Card length =

t1 =

t2 =

Stopwatch, t =

Calculations

u = card length / t1 =

v = card length / t2 =

a = (v – u) / t =

Measuring Acceleration Experiment

Timer t 1Timer t 2

Timer t 3