1. Pre-Lab 5A: What Is A Newton?

2. Purpose You can think of force as a push or pull. Objects interact with each other (and you) through forces. It takes force to start an object’s motion, and also force to stop an object in motion. This investigation will explore the precise definition of force and measure the strength of forces.

3. Key Question What is force and how is it measured?

4. Background Define: -force -weight -formula for slope

5. Drawing Draw this:

6. Procedure Forces have two important properties: strength and direction (it is a vector). In the English system of units, the strength of a force is measured in pounds. When you measure your own weight in pounds, you are measuring the force of gravity acting on your body. In the metric system, the strength of a force is measured in Newtons (N).

7. Section 1: zero/calibrate your Newton spring scale every time you use it!!

8. Section 2: Weigh the washers: how? Mass the washers: how?

9. Section 3: Make a graph Calculate slope: show work on front of graph Show coordinates/points used for slope on the line When is a key needed? Part e: Show your work for this word problem

10. Section 4: You will have to complete the graph before you do this section make a prediction of 7 washers: both mass and weight Record your prediction and mark the graph w/dotted lines to show the predicted mass and weight Then test your prediction

11. Post Lab 5A: What Is a Newton?

12. Purpose You can think of force as a push or pull. Objects interact with each other (and you) through forces. It takes force to start an object’s motion, and also force to stop an object in motion. This investigation will explore the precise definition of force and measure the strength of forces.

13. Key Question What is force and how is it measured?

14. Background Define: -force -weight -formula for slope

15. What are the labels of your graph’s axis? x = mass (kg) y = weight (N), why does it have to be in kg (not grams)? N = kg x m/s/s Data Line: describe it slope of line: what is numerator and denominator? so, what does the slope describe? F/M = A, so it describes Acceleration; but, acceleration of what? Weight = ? multiplied by ? W = M x A why might your predicted mass and weight may have been off: source of error?