The stockroom is used to select and place items on the Transfer Tray for a particular experiment that will be carried out on the virtual laboratory table. The essential features of the stockroom are described in the following list.

  • Transfer Tray. Items needed for a particular experiment are clicked to move them to the Transfer Tray. These items will be available for placement in the motion area of the laboratory table. Items can also be moved directly onto the ramp by clicking on the "Deploy to default position" button to the right of the item names in the Stockroom. 


  • Lab Book. The lab book is used to record procedures and observations while performing experiments in the virtual laboratory. Data from the experiments can also be saved to data tables in the lab book where it can then be copied and pasted into an external spreadsheet program for further analysis. See the Lab Book section for more details on using the lab book.


  • Clear Lab. The clear lab option allows users to return all items from the Transfer Tray and Experiment Window to the Stockroom without having to click on each individual item.


Available Items

Items available for the various experiments that can be performed in the virtual free motion laboratory are described below.

Objects
  • Ball. The ball is used in projectile motion and ramp experiments. It can be made of several different materials to study the effect of rolling friction on ramp motion. Air friction and rolling friction can be applied simultaneously, and all gravities can be applied to the ball.
  • Sled. The sled is used in projectile motion experiments and on the ramp. It can be made of several different materials to study the effect of sliding friction on ramp motion. Air friction and sliding friction can be applied simultaneously, and all gravities can be applied to the sled.


Ramp

The ramp is a surface with an adjustable angle of inclination used to study the motion of a ball or sled as they move down the ramp. Users can choose the material on the surface of the ramp to control the magnitude of rolling and sliding friction. Uniform downward or radial gravity can be used with the ramp.

Frictions
  • Air Friction. Air friction simulates the effect of air resistance on the motion of the ball or sled. Air friction can be used in ramp motion experiments.
  • Rolling Friction. Rolling friction simulates the frictional forces associated with a ball as it slides down a ramp and starts to roll. Different materials can be chosen for the object and ramp to define the magnitude of the friction.
  • Sliding Friction. Sliding friction simulates the frictional forces associated with an object sliding across a surface. Different materials can be chosen for the object and ramp to define the magnitude of the friction. Sliding friction is used with the sled in ramp motion experiments.
Forces
  • Rocket. The rocket can be attached to the ball or sled and can be fired for set time intervals or indefinitely. The magnitude of the force can be adjusted, and the rocket can be attached at various angles to the ball and sled.
  • Plunger. The plunger is used to impart a short duration force or impact on a ball or sled. The magnitude of the impact can be adjusted, and the plunger can be attached at various angles to the ball and sled.
Gravities
  • Downward Gravity. The downward gravity is used to apply gravity in a downward direction similar to what would be experienced on a planet or moon. The strength of the gravity can be adjusted.
  • Radial Gravity. Radial gravity simulates a gravitational sink or the gravity experienced as objects are attracted to a central force field. This gravity is similar to the gravitational field associated with large bodies such as planets and moons.


Allowable Combinations

Only certain combinations of the stockroom items can be selected from the stockroom. The focal object is the object that will be in motion, and the allowed objects are forces and frictions that can be applied to the focal object. These combinations are as follows.

Ramp, Rocket or Plunger, Air Friction, Rolling Friction, Any Gravity
Ramp, Rocket or Plunger, Air Friction, Sliding Friction, Any Gravity


Preset Experiments

When allowed by the instructor, the presets tab allows you to attempt assignments that are predefined and ready to run. To select one of these experiments, click on the 'Presets' tab on the right side of your screen and click on the desired experiment from the list shown. The appropriate objects, forces, and gravities will be automatically selected and placed in the Transfer Tray or on the table. The provided preset experiments that are included with the lab cover many of the fundamental ramp motion experiments that demonstrate important concepts. These preset experiments are only a small set of the large number of experiments that can be designed and implemented in this simulation.