C4-21 ATWOOD MACHINE

ID Code: C4-21
Purpose: Illustrate the second law of motion. Experimentally determine the acceleration due to gravity.
Description: Equal masses M of 200 grams are hung on the ends of a light string passing over a light, frictionless pulley. When a small additional mass m is hung on one end, the resulting acceleration can be measured by timing the motion of either mass over a distance S between two points. The acceleration of gravity g can then be calculated: g = a (2M + m)/m, where a is the acceleration of the system: a = 2S /t^2.
Availability: Available