A student investigated the acceleration of a trolley - AQA - GCSE Physics - Question 8 - 2020 - Paper 1

The student could use a pulley on the edge of the bench to guide the string. This would keep the string from making contact with the edge of the bench, preventing any friction or rubbing that could affect the results.

To complete Figure 14, choose a suitable scale for the x-axis, considering the range of resultant force values provided. Plot the results accurately on the graph based on Table 4. Finally, draw a line of best fit through the plotted points to demonstrate the relationship between resultant force and acceleration.

The relationship between the resultant force on the trolley and the acceleration of the trolley is directly proportional. This means that as the resultant force increases, the acceleration also increases, and vice versa.

To improve the investigation and reduce the effect of random errors, the student should repeat the measurements multiple times to calculate an average value. This would help to account for any anomalies in the data and provide a more accurate representation of the results.

The equation that links acceleration (a), mass (m), and resultant force (F) is given by:

$F = m imes a$

To calculate the acceleration of the trolley, use the formula:

$a = \frac{F}{m}$

Substituting the values, we have:

$a = \frac{0.375 \text{ N}}{0.60 \text{ kg}} = 0.625 \text{ m/s}^2$

Rounded to 2 significant figures, the acceleration is:

$0.63 \text{ m/s}^2$