The Ramp PhET Lab
Name:______________________________Period:______
The Ramp (and Friction) PhET Simulation Lab go to: phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/ramp-forces-and-motion
Introduction:
When an object is dragged across a surface, the force of friction that must be overcome depends on the normal force as F=uN and the normal force is given by N=
Wy, the vertical component of weight pointing perpendicular to the surface. When the angle of an inclined plane changes, the normal force changes and so does the friction.
In this lab, you will change the angle of an inclined plane and observe how weight is resolved into its components, vertical (Wy) and horizontal (Wx) using the basic trig functions.
Procedure: Play with the Sims Motion The Ramp: Forces and motion
(not just the Ramp version)
Be sure to stay in the part of the simulation. Make sure you pick wood, not ice for friction.
Try moving the object using the slider controls. Try dragging the ramp. … Having FuN yet?
Select cabinet and move it to the right side of a horizontal ramp using the slider control
draw a free body diagram of the cabinet in the box to the right>>>>>>>>
Horizontal plane
1. On a horizontal plane, the normal force is ________ to the weight.
2. The cabinet has a mass of 50kg. It therefore has a normal force of _________ N
Inclined plane and a static friction force (on the horizontal plane) of __________( μs = 0.50)
Tilt the ramp slightly. draw a free body diagram of the cabinet in the box here:
3. The force down the plane and normal force are components of ____________.
4. Before we add an applied force on the ramp, there is a force of ____________ that acts against the force down the plane( Force parallel).
5. When we apply a force to get the cabinet moving, the friction force acts in the ____________ direction as movement of the cabinet.
Slowly increase angle (0.1 degrees at a time) of the ramp until the cabinet starts to move on its own.
What angle is this? ____________ = θ
(within a degree or so
The Ramp (and Friction) PhET Simulation Lab go to: phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/ramp-forces-and-motion
Introduction:
When an object is dragged across a surface, the force of friction that must be overcome depends on the normal force as F=uN and the normal force is given by N=
Wy, the vertical component of weight pointing perpendicular to the surface. When the angle of an inclined plane changes, the normal force changes and so does the friction.
In this lab, you will change the angle of an inclined plane and observe how weight is resolved into its components, vertical (Wy) and horizontal (Wx) using the basic trig functions.
Procedure: Play with the Sims Motion The Ramp: Forces and motion
(not just the Ramp version)
Be sure to stay in the part of the simulation. Make sure you pick wood, not ice for friction.
Try moving the object using the slider controls. Try dragging the ramp. … Having FuN yet?
Select cabinet and move it to the right side of a horizontal ramp using the slider control
draw a free body diagram of the cabinet in the box to the right>>>>>>>>
Horizontal plane
1. On a horizontal plane, the normal force is ________ to the weight.
2. The cabinet has a mass of 50kg. It therefore has a normal force of _________ N
Inclined plane and a static friction force (on the horizontal plane) of __________( μs = 0.50)
Tilt the ramp slightly. draw a free body diagram of the cabinet in the box here:
3. The force down the plane and normal force are components of ____________.
4. Before we add an applied force on the ramp, there is a force of ____________ that acts against the force down the plane( Force parallel).
5. When we apply a force to get the cabinet moving, the friction force acts in the ____________ direction as movement of the cabinet.
Slowly increase angle (0.1 degrees at a time) of the ramp until the cabinet starts to move on its own.
What angle is this? ____________ = θ
(within a degree or so