Equilibrium Activity Accelerated Physics

It is up to you to balance the force! But first, a few words of caution.

The forces are considered balanced when the washer is at rest with the screw at its center. Each of the strings should point toward the screw. You may have to move the points where the strings are tied to the washer.

To reduce the effect of friction, make sure that the washer and all strings are not touching the surface or the edge of the force table.

As you pull on one of the strings with the spring scale, the directions of the other strings change. Do not record the magnitude and direction of each tension force until the forces are balanced.

For each force diagram, draw the forces to a scale of 1 N = 1 cm.

Read through the following steps before you begin. You will complete all three parts for two 200-gram masses and then repeat all three parts for a 300-gram mass and a 400-gram mass.

Part 1

Hang one of the masses from a string running over one of the pulleys. Attach the spring scale to a string and pull so that the forces are balanced. Record the magnitude and direction of the tension force from the spring scale. Record the magnitude and direction of the tension force from the hanging mass. Draw the force diagram for this part.

Part 2

Remove the first mass and hang the second mass from a string running over the second pulley. Pull with the spring scale so that the forces are balanced. Record the magnitude and direction of the tension force from the spring scale. Record the magnitude and direction of the tension force from the hanging mass. Draw the force diagram for this part.

Part 3

Hang the first mass again so that both masses are hanging. The tension forces from the hanging masses in parts 1 and 2 are now both acting on the washer (and are the same as in parts 1 and 2). Before pulling with the spring scale, draw these two forces on the force diagram for this part and estimate the magnitude and direction of the tension force required to balance the forces. Pull with the spring scale so that the forces are balanced. Record the magnitude and direction of the tension force from the spring scale and draw this force to complete the force diagram for this part. Equilibrium Activity Name

Problem #1 (200 g and 200 g) Part 1

Part 1

Tension force from spring scale

magnitude:

direction:

Tension force from hanging mass

magnitude:

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Part 2 Part 2 Tension force from spring scale

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Tension force from hanging mass

magnitude:

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Part 3

Estimated tension force from spring scale Part 3 magnitude:

direction:

Measured tension force from spring scale

magnitude:

direction: Problem #2 (300 g and 400 g) Part 1

Part 1

Tension force from spring scale

magnitude:

direction:

Tension force from hanging mass

magnitude:

direction:

Part 2 Part 2 Tension force from spring scale

magnitude:

direction:

Tension force from hanging mass

magnitude:

direction:

Part 3

Estimated tension force from spring scale Part 3 magnitude:

direction:

Measured tension force from spring scale

magnitude:

direction: