09/12/2016 : Non-Constant Acceleration Problem/Activity

Lab #3: Non-Constant Acceleration Problem/Activity
Name:   Charles Xu,
Partner: Anthony, Michell
Date:     09/12/2016

Statement:
On the lab book, it provides a problem to solve. This experiment is to find the method to solve non-acceleration problem.

Theory:
The question will provide a function related to non-acceleration. we derive it into an acceleration function. Then we can take the derivative of the function to get velocity function. Then use excel to do the calculation.

Summary:
We input the given values into excel, and calculate the time, acceleration(F=ma), average acceleration(average from sum of all acceleration) , change in velocity(average acceleration * time), velocity(initial velocity + average acceleration), average velocity(first velocity + second velocity / 2), ∆x(average velocity * time), and x(initial distance + ∆x). Then we change the time to a smaller number, therefore, we can have a more precise result.

Excel with t=1s

Excel with t = 0.1s

Conclusion:

This excel method is very useful. We set up a model and we can vary the value of each variable. Excel will do the calculation for us. It saves a lot of time. Also, we can change the changing factor to a smaller number when we want to find more precise result.