Pasco SA-9241 Pulley Atwood’s Machine User Manual download pdf

Instruction Sheet

012-04152B

Pulley Atwood’s Machine

SA-9241

800-772-8700 www.pasco.com

*012-04152 *

Introduction

The PASCO Pulley Atwood’s Machine is based on a device cre-

ated by the Reverend George Atwood in 1784 to help demon-

strate the mysteries of acceleration and force. In an ideal

Atwood’s Machine, two unequal masses are attached to a flexi-

ble, massless string which passes over a frictionless, massless

pulley. (Please see Figure 1 below). The unequal gravitational

forces acting on the two masses provide a constant force that

accelerates both masses. The heavier mass is accelerated down-

ward and the lighter mass is accelerated upward.

A real Atwood’s Machine is not as simple as its ideal counterpart.

The string is not massless and the pulley is not frictionless. The

rotational inertia of the pulley also reduces the simplicity of the

ideal Atwood’s Machine.

By using two low friction pulleys at each end of a connecting rod,

the effects of friction and rotational inertia are effectively

reduced to a minimum.

PASCO scientific provides the Atwood’s Machine shown above.

Two ME-9450A Super Pulleys are mounted on a 6.3 centimeter

(2.5 in) long, 0.9 cm (0.375 in) diameter rod. The connecting rod

is easily mounted on standard lab rod clamps* (not included).

The PASCO Pulley Atwood’s Machine (SA-9241) can handle

masses up to a few kilograms.

Operation

The Atwood’s Machine can be used with a Photogate Head,

PASCO computer interface, and PASCO data aquisition software

to allow measurement of the motion of one of the pulleys.

• Remove the Super Pulley from one end of the Connector

Rod.

• Put the threaded end of the Connector Rod through the slot

on the edge of the Photogate Head (see Figure 3).

• Re-connect the Super Pulley to the Connector Rod.

• Connect the Photogate Cable to the Photogate Head and plug

the cable into a digital channel of a PASCO computer inter-

face. (Note: For a PASCO interface without digital channels,

use a PS-2159 Digital Adapter.)

ME-9450A Super Pulley

Connector Rod

Thumbscrew

Figure 1

Figure 2

1 2

Summary of Contents

Page 1 - Pulley Atwood’s Machine

Instruction Sheet012-04152BPulley Atwood’s MachineSA-9241800-772-8700 www.pasco.com®*012-04152 *IntroductionThe PASCO Pulley Atwood’s Machine is based

Page 2 - Technical Support

®Pulley Atwood’s Machine SA-92412.Use the data acquisition software to record the motion of a pulley as the masses on the ends of the string move up a

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Pasco SA-9241 Pulley Atwood’s Machine User Manual

Browse online or download User Manual for Equipment Pasco SA-9241 Pulley Atwood’s Machine. PASCO SA-9241 Pulley Atwood’s Machine User Manual

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