Final answer:
To study motion with constant acceleration in the lab, an experiment with three different ball releases demonstrates acceleration's independence from velocity. An air hockey table experiment can depict constant acceleration using a motion capture system and varying forces. Analyzing this data through equations of motion supports the hypothesis of constant acceleration.
Step-by-step explanation:
Lab Experiment: Motion with Constant Acceleration
To investigate motion with constant acceleration in a laboratory setting, a student can conduct an experiment using three different balls to demonstrate that the acceleration of an object is independent of its velocity. By releasing each ball in distinct ways - ball A launched horizontally from 1.5 meters above the ground, ball B dropped from rest at the same height, and ball C launched vertically - the student can observe the effects of gravity acting as the constant acceleration.
Information such as the time taken for each ball to reach the ground and their respective velocities should be recorded. Equations of motion can then be utilized to analyze the data and confirm that gravity exerts the same acceleration on each ball, regardless of their initial velocities.
An illustrative example would be using an air hockey table and a motion capture system to track the puck, which experiences negligible friction, to demonstrate constant acceleration when force is applied from an air hose set at the center of the table's sides. The force exerted can be varied, and the subsequent motion of the puck recorded and analyzed. A graph of acceleration versus time for the puck would ideally show segments of zero acceleration followed by large and constant negative acceleration, corroborating that the acceleration is indeed constant in the presence of a constant applied force.
This experiment aligns with learning objectives that emphasize identifying and using appropriate equations of motion to solve for unknowns in two-body pursuit problems, and to show that acceleration is a quantity that does not depend on the moving object’s immediate velocity.