Work and energy · friction

Stopping distance

Release height10 cm
Photogate—
Kinetic energy—
Stopping distance—

0 cm is where the board meets the counter · every distance is read to the back of the car · the photogate reads its speed as it leaves the board

Set a release height on the board, then let the car go and see how far it runs.

Set up the run

Or jump straight to

 

Your trials

Release height, gate speed, kinetic energy and stopping distance
#h (cm) v (m/s)KE (J)d (cm)

 

What the data shows

Energy against speed this one is not a straight line, and that is the point
Distance against release height how far it runs for how high you start it
Distance against kinetic energy the slope of this one is worth a look

 

 

How to use this simulation

  1. Set a release height with the slider or the quick-jump buttons, then press Release the car to watch it roll down the board and slide to a stop on the counter.
  2. Watch the readouts at the top: Release height, Photogate speed, Kinetic energy, and Stopping distance update as each run finishes.
  3. Use the Playback speed dropdown to slow the run down or watch it at real speed, and turn on Add measurement error for more realistic readings.
  4. Each run adds a row to the Your trials table, so you can compare release heights, speeds, energies, and stopping distances directly.
  5. Check the three graphs under What the data shows: energy against speed, distance against release height, and distance against kinetic energy.
  6. Turn on Draw a best fit line to see the slope of a graph, or Plot the energy graph against speed squared to straighten the curved energy-speed graph.
  7. Press Put it back to reset the car, Clear trials to wipe the table, or Copy data to export your results.