Question

Let's assume we performed the Atwood's Machine experiment. The following time data, 3.59, 3.54, 3.98, 3.48, and 3.21 seconds, are obtained when the pulley fell from a 1.06 meter high. What is the acceleration of this pulley system?

Answer 1

The average acceleration of the pulley system in the Atwood's Machine experiment is approximately 0.168 m/s^2, using the average time calculated from the provided times and the distance of 1.06 meters.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the acceleration of the pulley system in the Atwood's Machine experiment, we can use the formula for constant acceleration under gravity, which is:

a = 2s / t^2

Where 'a' is the acceleration, 's' is the distance traveled, and 't' is the time taken. In the scenario provided, the pulley falls from a height of 1.06 meters. With the given times, we would typically calculate the average acceleration using each individual time, but for illustrative purposes, we'll use the average time of the five trials to find the average acceleration.

First, we find the average time:

1. 
   
3. Add all the times together: 3.59 + 3.54 + 3.98 + 3.48 + 3.21 = 17.80 seconds
4. 
   
6. Divide by the number of trials: 17.80 seconds / 5 = 3.56 seconds (average time)

Now, using the average time, we calculate the acceleration:

a = 2 * 1.06 m / (3.56 s)^2

a ≈ 0.168 m/s^2 (average acceleration)

This acceleration is the average value based on the assumption that air resistance and the mass of the pulley system have been neglected.