Hanging Bridge Lab Work

 Data:

We used weights varying from 0 g up to 300 g with a 50 g interval between each measurement 

Graph:

Our graph using the data we collected is shown above. The curve fit was a sin graph. 

Our predicted curve fit was a tangent graph.

Problem Write up for Blog:

Where do the two curves match?  

The two curves match when little mass was added to the middle (M)

Where do the two curves start to diverge from one another?  

Once the mass in the middle was around 150g we started to see the slope of our best fit line decrease and not align with our predicted behavior

What does this tell you about the system? 

The equation we derived is in a situation that we have a perfect pulley. But in the real world, the pulley has rotational inertia and friction that we need to consider.

What are the limitations on the accuracy of your measurements and analysis?

Some limitations can include measurement error, as we cannot get an accurate measurement with just our eyes. pulley friction is something that we did not account for in our calculations and do not know how to measure. and the string not being a perfect string as it can stretch as weight increases

What will you report to your supervisor?  How does the vertical displacement of an object suspended on a string between two pulleys depend on the mass of that object?

Did your measurements of the vertical displacement of object B agree with your initial predictions?  If not, why?  State your result in the most general terms supported by your analysis. 

At lower masses our data from our two sets tended to agree but as we increased the mass the more and more our two data sets would vary. This could be due to friction in the pulley.

Do the pulleys behave in a frictionless way for the entire range of weights you will use?  How can you determine if the assumption of frictionless pulleys is a good one?

The pulleys do not remain frictionless across the entire range of weights. The assumption of frictionless pulleys is inaccurate, as evidenced by the deviation in the graph and the discrepancy between real-life data and theoretical predictions.

What information would you need to apply your calculation to the walkway through the rain forest?

We need the friction between our two mounting points and the rope.