trolley investigation

Friction Investigation

Introduction

In this experiment the aim is to discover which material opposes the motion of a trolley travelling down a ramp. This opposing motion is called friction and acts between two surfaces. To determine which material has opposed the motion of the trolley the most, the speed at which the trolley travels down the ramp when a material is used on the surface of the ramp will be measured.

In this experiment the independent variable is:

The different materials used for the surface of the ramp.

The dependant variable of the experiment is:

Due to the alteration of the material used on the surface of the ramp, the speed at which the trolley travels down the ramp will differentiate for each material used.

The control variables of the experiment are:

The equipment used when the experiment is repeated.

The length of the different materials used to cover the surface of the ramp.

The height and angle of th...