Multi-functional

Dynamic System
SCS-500
User’s Manual

COMPOSITION
 Multi-functional Dynamic System (MODEL : SCS-500)

* NOTE : This package does not include sensors and data logger

※ This product is designed for educational purposes to be used in scientific

experiments and is not suitable for use in industrial, medical or commercial
applications.
Description
The Dynamics system consists of a 1.2m track, two carts, and related accessories. The
system is designed for use in physics and physical scientific experiments. Dynamics
system enables more accurate and precise experiment by minimizing friction. Some
typical experiments done with the system include
 Newton’s Law
 Conservation of Energy
 Uniform Motion
 Spring Constant
 Motion under constant acceleration
 Inelastic collisions & Elastic collisions
 The dynamics system is designed for use with many sensors, such as the motion
sensor, photogate, accelerometer and the Data logger (Interface).

1. Composition
 1.2m Track ………………………………………………………………………………………………….… 1EA
 Single foot end stop ……………………………………………………………………………………. 1EA
 Double foot end stop ………………………………………………………………………………..… 1EA
 Adjustable end stop …………………………………………………………………………………..… 1EA
 Plunger cart with two magnets and foam plugs for included end caps …... 1EA
 Standard cart with two magnets and foam plugs for included end caps …..1EA
 Photogate bracket ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 2EA
 Pulley bracket …………………………………………………………………………………………….… 1EA
 500g Mass ………………………………………………………………………………………….………… 1EA
 Rod clamp ……………………………………………………………………………….…………………… 1EA
 Fastener ………………………………………………………………………………………………….……. 1SET
 Mini Wrench …………………………………………………………………………………..……….…… 1EA

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1.1. CARTS
Dynamics carts are supplied with
magnets. You may choose to install
either or both on your carts.
The magnets are useful in studying
collisions with the magnets
positioned so that they are the
same polarity on both sides and on
both carts. This way the carts will
repel one another, and you can
arrange a collision in which the carts never actually touch. The collision will be very nearly
elastic, unlike a collision using a spring or any kind of contract.
To study totally inelastic collisions, change polarity of one cart to be opposite each other.
This way any cart will stick to any other. Carts with magnets will stick together, creating a
totally inelastic collision.
To use the plunger, simultaneously press the horizontal button above the plunger and
press the plunger in until it locks. To release, press on the pin from the top of the carts.
The plunger force can be adjusted. To adjust the plunger release force, rotate the
plunger while it is extended.

Note: Polarity in same cart should be equal.

If they are different each other, the cart could leave the track.

1.2. PHOTOGATE BRACKET

Photogate bracket is attached to the side of the track. With the
nut loosely on the T-handled bolt, slide the nut into the side
channel of the track. Attach the photogate using the supplied
wing bolt in the long slot. Adjust the gate height so the beam
intercepts the desired portion of the target.

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1.3. PULLEY BRACKET
Pulley Bracket is attached to the end of the track. Attach the
pulley using the supplied bolt. Adjust the height so can do
experiment with pulley.

1.4. SINGLE FOOT end STOP

The single foot end stop slides into the end of the track,
with the nut in the center slot of the track underside.

1.5. DOUBLE FOOT STAND

The double foot stands slides into the end of
the track, with the nut in the center slot of the
track underside. Adjust the position as desired.

1.6. ROD CLAMP

The rod clamp is used to support the track with a
user-supplied ring stand. Insert the rod clamp nut
into the side of the track. Adjust the height as
desired.

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1.7. MASS
The 500g mass is used to double the mass of the cart.
Attach the mass by removing the wing nut and bolt, and
placing the bolt head in one of the off-center slots on
top of the cart. Slide the mass over the bolt, and tighten
the wing nut.

1.8. FASTENERS
The supplied fasteners are used to
attach devices to the cart.
For example, you may want to attach
a force sensor, accelerometer to the
cart. The fasteners may be inserted
any point along the slot length. To
use, loosen but do not remove the
nut from the shaft, and insert the nut
parallel to the slot. Turn the shaft
clockwise to tighten.

1.9. Mini WRENCH

This mini wrench is designed to use to adopt magnets in foam plugs of end cap.

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2. Sample Experiment
 Uniform motion
 Uniform Acceleration
 Atwood’s machine
 Gravitational Acceleration
 Determining ‘g’ on an incline
 Newton’s law

2.1. Determining ‘g’ on an Incline

A. OBJECTIVES
 Use a motion Sensor to measure the speed and acceleration of a ball and a
cart rolling down an incline.
 Determine the mathematical relationship between the angle of an incline and
the acceleration of ball rolling down the ramp.
 Determine the value of free fall acceleration, g, by extrapolating the
acceleration vs. sine of track angle graph.
 Compare the results for a ball with the results for a low-friction dynamics cart.
 Determine if an extrapolation of the acceleration vs. sine of track angle is
valid.

B. MATERIALS
 Windows PC or Android Tablet

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  ScienceCube interface
 Motion Sensor
 Dynamics rail
 Dynamics cart
 Hard ball
 Steel Rod

C. PRECEDURE
1. Connect the Motion Sensor to the channel [A or B] of the interface.
2. Place the Motion Sensor at the top of an incline. Place it so the ball will never be
closer than 0.5m.
3. Open [Science#]-[experiment sheet]-[velocity, acceleration-Motion].
4. Hold the hard ball on the incline about 0.5m from the Motion Sensor.
5. Click ‘collect’ button to begin collecting data; release the ball after the Motion
Sensor starts to click. Get your hand out of the Motion Sensor path quickly. You
may have to adjust the position and aim of the Motion Sensor several times
before you get it right. Adjust and repeat this step until you get a good run
showing approximately constant slope on the velocity vs. time graph during the
rolling of the ball.
6. Graph shows acceleration automatically.
7. Repeat Steps 5 - 7 two more times.
8. Measure the length of the incline, x, which is the distance between the two
contact points of the ramp. See figure 1.
9. Measure the height, h, the height of the rod(s). These last two measurements will
be used to determine the angle of the incline.
10. Raise the incline by using rod clamp.
11. Repeat Steps 5 - 10 for the new incline.
12. Repeat Steps 5 - 11 with different height of rod.
13. Repeat Steps 5 - 13 using a low-friction dynamics cart instead of the ball.

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 Data using ball
Height of Length of Acceleration Average
rod incline, x Sin(θ) Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 acceleration
(m) (m) (m/s²) (m/s²) (m/s²) (m/s²)

Data using cart

Height of Length of Acceleration Average
rod incline, x Sin(θ) Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 acceleration
(m) (m) (m/s²) (m/s²) (m/s²) (m/s²)

D. ANALYSIS
1. Calculate the average acceleration for each height.
2. Using trigonometry and your values of x and h in the data table, calculate the sine
of the incline angle for each height. Note that x is the hypotenuse of a right
triangle.
3. Plot a graph of the average acceleration (y axis) vs. sin(θ).
4. Draw a best-fit line by hand or use the linear fit feature of Excel, and determine the
slope. The slope can be used to determine the acceleration of the ball on an incline
of any angle.
5. How well does the extrapolated value agree with the accepted value of free-fall
acceleration (g = 9.8m/s²)?
6. Repeat the analysis, including the extrapolation, dynamics cart.
7. Why do you think the data for the dynamics cart resulted in an extrapolated value
of g that was closer to the accepted value than the rolling ball data?
8. Discuss the validity of extrapolating the acceleration value to an angle of 90°.

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2.2. Newton’s Second Law
How does a cart change its motion when you push and pull on it? You might think that
the harder you push on a cart, the faster it goes. Is the cart’s velocity related to the force
you apply? Or does the force just change the velocity? Also, what does the mass of the
cart have to do with how the motion changes? We know that it takes a much harder
push to get a heavy cart moving than a lighter one.
A Force Sensor and an Accelerometer will let you measure the force on a cart
simultaneously with the cart acceleration. The total mass of the cart is easy to vary by
adding masses. Using these tools, you can determine how the net force on the cart, its
mass, and its acceleration are related. This relationship is Newton’s second law of motion.

A. OBJECTIVES
 Collect force and acceleration data for a cart as it is moved back and force.
 Compare force vs. time and acceleration vs. time graphs.
 Analyze a graph of force vs. acceleration.
 Determine the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration.

B. MATERIALS
 Windows PC or Android Tablet
 Sciencecube Interface
 Force Sensor
 Dynamics cart
 Accelerometer
 500g Mass

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C. PROCEDURE
1. Connect a Force Sensor to Channel [A] on Interface. Connect the Accelerometer to
Channel [B] on the interface.
2. Open [Science#] to collect data from your computer.
3. Attach the Force Sensor to a dynamics cart so you can apply a horizontal force to
the hook, directed along the sensitive axis of your particular Force Sensor. Next,
attach the Accelerometer so the arrow is horizontal and parallel to the direction
that the cart will roll. Orient the arrow so that if you pull on the Force Sensor the
cart will move in the direction of the arrow. Find the mass of the cart with the
Force Sensor and Accelerometer attached. Record the mass in data table.
4. Place the cart on a level surface. Make sure the cart is not moving and click “zero”.
Check to make sure both sensors are highlighted and click “ok”.
5. You are now ready to collect force and acceleration data. Grasp the Force Sensor
hook. Click “collect” and take several seconds to move the cart back and forth on
the table. Vary the motion so that both small and large forces are applied. Make
sure that your hand is only touching the hook on the Force Sensor and not the
Force Sensor of cart body.
6. Note the shape of the force vs. time and acceleration vs. time graphs. The graph
of force vs. acceleration should appear to be a straight line.
7. Using the graphs, estimate the acceleration of the cart when a force of 1.0 N has
acted upon it. Record the force and acceleration in the data table.
8. Attach the 500g mass to the cart. Record the mass of the cart, sensors, and
additional mass in the data table.
9. Repeat Steps 5-8.

D. DATA TABLE

Mass of cart with sensors Mass of cart with sensors and additional mass
(kg) (kg)

Force(N) Acceleration(m/s²) Force(N) Acceleration(m/s²)

1.0N 1.0N

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E. ANALYSIS
1. Compare the graphs of force vs. time and acceleration vs. time for a particular
trial. How are they different? How are they the same?
2. Are the net force on an object and the acceleration of the object directly
proportional?
3. What are the units of the slope of the force vs. acceleration graph? Simplify the
units of the slope to fundamental units (m, kg, s).
4. For each trial compare the slope of the regression line to the mass being
accelerated. What does the slope represent?
5. What a general equation that relates all three variables: Force, mass, and
acceleration.

F. SAMPLE RESULTS

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Note

 The contents of this manual are for informational purposes only and the specifications and functions of the product
are subject to change without prior notice to improve performance.
 All other marks not owned by us that appear herein are the property of their respective owners, who may or may not
be affiliated with, connected to, or sponsored by us.
www.sciencecube.com
KOREA DIGITAL Co. Ltd.

Rev. SCS500-04-2022 ##804, 273 Digital St, Guro-Gu, Seoul 08381 South Korea MADE IN KOREA

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