Is my weight normal?
The normal force is a reactionary force that occurs due to Newton’s 3rd Law. When we stand on a bathroom scale the reading on the scale measures the normal force
exerted by the scale in reaction to the force of your mass that is being exerted on the scale. On a flat horizontal surface, the scale reading should be the same as
your mass. But what happens when the scale is on a surface that is not horizontal? Your task is to measure the normal force on an incline.
Instructions:
1.Derive the formula for the normal force as a function of incline angle.
2.Using a bathroom floor scale or a kitchen top scale, measure the change in the normal force for a given mass as a function of incline angle. You will need to take
measurements (multiple measurements at each angle) at least 5 different incline angles. All measurements must include any uncertainties.
3.Plot the measured normal force as a function of incline angle and compare your results with that predicted by the formula derived in point 1.
4.Discuss your findings and describe how the angle of the surface affects the normal force.
Completed: You have viewed this topic
Description
In this assignment, you are required to investigate the dependence of the normal force on an inclined surface.
This assignment is worth 6 marks overall.
Solutions to be submitted to the assessment dropbox by 20:00 /9 Sep 2016.
This assignment can be done individually or in teams of 2 students.
