Newton's Second Law Lab

Part 2: Using WebGL to Create a Simulation

  1. Open up the lab in Chrome or Firefox to get started.
  2. Enter the equations for net force and acceleration using the given variables. Variables are case-sensitive. Equations will be evaluated as typed (even incorrect equations, so be careful). Equations do not support negatives like m*-a, unary operations like sqrt(M), or constants like π.
  3. Give the hanging weight the same mass as your weight from Part 1.
  4. Give the cart the same mass as your cart from Part 1.
  5. Click the Start button to begin the simulation. Pause, Play, and Reset as needed. Drag or scroll on the simulation to adjust the viewing angle. When you change an equation or mass, you must reset and start again for the changes to take effect.
  6. Use ⌘-P to save your simulation as a PDF. Then print one copy of this PDF for your lab group to include in your report. Label "Part 2: Simulation without Friction."
  7. Record the acceleration from the bar graph beneath the simulated table.

Part 3B: Examination of Results & Questions

  1. If your Part 2 simulation has been closed, repeat steps 1-4 from Part 2. Otherwise, just click the Reset button.
  2. Check that your equations incorporate the force of friction.
  3. Set the Friction Force X equal to your calculated friction value (check the sign!)
  4. Run the simulation and record the acceleration as before