Physics Lab Report Centripetal Force 
Physics Lab Report
Experiment M3 Centripetal Force
School: La Salle College
Class: 6G
Group members (Group 7): Carson Ho, Tang Yui Hong, John Yu, Justin Kwong
Date: 1 / 10 / 2014
Report is written by: Tang Yui Hong 6G (27)
Title
Centripetal Force
Objective
To verify the equation for centripetal force
Apparatus
Instrument
Descriptions
1 rubber bung circular, cylinder screw nuts and wire hook
/
1 small paper marker
/
1 rule
1 metre safety goggles
/
adhesive tape
/
1 glass tube
~ 15 cm
1 nylon string
1.5 m, inextensible
1 stop-watch
/
1 triple beam balance
/
scissors
/
Sketching of the set-up
Theory
Centripetal force F is the net force causing the centripetal acceleration of an object performing uniform circular motion. Its magnitude is given by the equation: F = mrω2
When an object is whirled in horizontal circular motion in mid-air with a piece of string (as shown in figure 1 above), the centripetal force on the object is provided by the horizontal component of tension in the string:
2
=>2 (since r = L)
Procedure
1 A triple beam balance is used to find the mass of the rubber bung, the screw nuts and the wire hook respectively. The total weight of the screw nuts and the wire hook provided the tension T in the nylon thread.
2 The centripetal force apparatus is set up (Figure 2). The paper marker is used to set the length L of the nylon string between the rubber bung and the glass tube to 0.2 m.
3 Hold the glass tube vertically and whirl the rubber bung around in a horizontal circle. Increase the speed of the rubber bung gradually until the paper marker is just below the lower end of the glass tube (Figure 3).
4 The time of 50 revolutions of the rubber bung is measured and record the results. Calculate the angular velocity ω of the rubber bung and the tension T in the nylon string.
5 The steps 1, 2 and 3 is repeated for several times with different lengths L (0.4m, 0.6m and 0.8m) of the nylon
Experiment M3 Centripetal Force
School: La Salle College
Class: 6G
Group members (Group 7): Carson Ho, Tang Yui Hong, John Yu, Justin Kwong
Date: 1 / 10 / 2014
Report is written by: Tang Yui Hong 6G (27)
Title
Centripetal Force
Objective
To verify the equation for centripetal force
Apparatus
Instrument
Descriptions
1 rubber bung circular, cylinder screw nuts and wire hook
/
1 small paper marker
/
1 rule
1 metre safety goggles
/
adhesive tape
/
1 glass tube
~ 15 cm
1 nylon string
1.5 m, inextensible
1 stop-watch
/
1 triple beam balance
/
scissors
/
Sketching of the set-up
Theory
Centripetal force F is the net force causing the centripetal acceleration of an object performing uniform circular motion. Its magnitude is given by the equation: F = mrω2
When an object is whirled in horizontal circular motion in mid-air with a piece of string (as shown in figure 1 above), the centripetal force on the object is provided by the horizontal component of tension in the string:
2
=>2 (since r = L)
Procedure
1 A triple beam balance is used to find the mass of the rubber bung, the screw nuts and the wire hook respectively. The total weight of the screw nuts and the wire hook provided the tension T in the nylon thread.
2 The centripetal force apparatus is set up (Figure 2). The paper marker is used to set the length L of the nylon string between the rubber bung and the glass tube to 0.2 m.
3 Hold the glass tube vertically and whirl the rubber bung around in a horizontal circle. Increase the speed of the rubber bung gradually until the paper marker is just below the lower end of the glass tube (Figure 3).
4 The time of 50 revolutions of the rubber bung is measured and record the results. Calculate the angular velocity ω of the rubber bung and the tension T in the nylon string.
5 The steps 1, 2 and 3 is repeated for several times with different lengths L (0.4m, 0.6m and 0.8m) of the nylon