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Chapter 1 Lab Activity

Motion in 2D Simulation

Submitted by
Mohammed Alfouzan

Instructor
Prof. Jeffrey Reeves

Due Date

07/05/2016

1) Once the simulation opens, click on Show Both for Velocity and Acceleration at the
top of the page. Now click and drag the red ball around the screen. Make 3
observations about the blue and green arrows (also called vectors) as you drag the ball
around.
Ans: When we stop dragging then there is no change in the displacement with time means
velocity is zero. By slowly decreasing the velocity the acceleration is produced, which is
always appears to be at a 90 angle.

2) Which color vector (arrow) represents velocity and which one represents
acceleration? How can you tell?
Ans: The green arrow represents velocity and the blue arrow represents acceleration as
shown. By dragging the red ball we observe that its velocity increases. By slowing the
motion of the red ball then deceleration is produced, the deceleration vector is always
opposite to acceleration vector.

3) Try dragging the ball around and around in a circular path. What do you notice about
the lengths and directions of the blue and green vectors? Describe their behavior in
detail below.
Ans: By dragging the ball around and around in a circular path the velocity is changing at
every point due to change in direction. The green arrow length is changing while the blue
arrow remain constant. The body's speed is constant, but its velocity is not constant. This
changing velocity indicates the presence of an acceleration (centripetal acceleration).

4) Now move the ball at a slow constant speed across the screen. What do you notice
now about the vectors? Explain why this happens.
Ans: When we move the red ball with slow constant speed then the velocity is constant and
there is barely any acceleration. As there is no change in direction or displacement so there is
no acceleration.

5) What happens to the vectors when you jerk the ball rapidly back and forth across the
screen? Explain why this happens.
Ans: When we jerked the ball rapidly back and forth across the screen the velocity of the
changes quickly so that acceleration increases rapidly. The vector for acceleration becoming
large and stretch across as well.

6) Now click on Circular on the bottom. Describe the motion of the ball and the
behavior of the two vectors. Is there a force on the ball? How can you tell? Be
detailed in your explanations.
Ans: Uniform circular motion is the motion of an object in a circle at a constant speed. As
the ball moves in a circle, it is constantly changing its direction. The radius of the circle is
always fixed i.e. blue arrow. Though the body's speed is constant, its velocity is not constant
due to change in direction. This changing velocity indicates the presence of centripetal
acceleration is of constant magnitude and directed at all times towards the axis of rotation.
Due to the centripetal acceleration there is a constant force called centripetal force.
7) Click on Simple Harmonic on the bottom. Based on the behavior of the ball and the vectors,
write a definition of Simple Harmonic Motion.
Ans: Simple Harmonic Motion are the vibrations whose time period stays the same although its
amplitude changes. When we are moving the ball to the lift of the screen the green arrow
magnitude is increasing and at the center green arrow is maximum, and the blue arrow is small
and in the direction of green arrow with small blue arrow. When the ball at the left extent of the
screen the green arrow is zero and the blue arrow direction is towards the center. On coming
back towards the center the green arrow is increasing at the center green arrow is maximum
again. Ongoing to right the green arrow is decreasing and the blue arrow direction is towards
center. At the right extent of the screen the green arrow becomes zero and due to restoring force
the red ball come back to the center.