Pulling Eugenia on Rollerblades: Qualitative Observational Experiment

Aim

  1. To observe the effect of a pull exerted on a person on rollerblades and the change in the person's motion.
  2. To observe the effect of person's mass on her motion when she is pulled.

Prior Knowledge

  1. Kinematics

Description of the Experiment

Observe what happens to Eugenia when Dave stretches a spring attached to her waist. Notice what happens when the spring stretches more. What happens to Eugenia's motion after Dave has finished pulling?

How did putting on and taking off a backpack affect Eugenia's change in motion when Dave pulled her?

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Questions

  1. Draw motion diagrams for Eugenia as David is pulling her and after each pull is over.
  2. Draw three force (free-body) diagrams for Eugenia for each f the pulls and two for after each pull is over.
  3. What is the relationship between the motion diagrams and the force diagrams?

Suggest a poossible relationship between Eugenia's change in motion and

  1. how hard Dave pulled her, and
  2. her mass.