Newton’s Laws
What is the net force on Mr. Ameur when he’s stationary at the top of the slope?
Zero, because no external forces are causing motion.
What type of energy does Mr. Ameur have at the top of the slope?
Potential energy (PE=mgh)
What is the independent variable in the slope angle experiment?
Slope angle (θ)
What force pulls Mr. Ameur downhill?
Gravity (Fg=mg)
What would happen if gravity stopped working while Mr. Ameur was skiing?
He would float upward like a helium balloon.
Which law explains why Mr. Ameur accelerates downhill when he pushes off?
Newton’s Second Law (ΣF = ma).
What type of energy increases as Mr. Ameur descends?
Kinetic energy (KE=1/2mv^2)
What is the dependent variable in the air resistance experiment?
Acceleration (aaa) or time (ttt).
What is the formula for the component of gravity acting along the slope?
Fg sin(θ).
In the story, what did Mr. Ameur shout as he floated away?
Ichrak! Ola! Help! I’m flying!
What is the equal and opposite reaction when Mr. Ameur pushes off the ground?
The ground exerts an equal and opposite force, propelling him forward
What happens to Mr. Ameur’s mechanical energy if there’s no friction or air resistance?
Mechanical energy is conserved
What tool is used to measure time and speed in the experiments?
Motion sensors or timers.
Why is friction negligible in the snow experiment?
Because the coefficient of friction (μ) for snow is very low (μ=0.03)
If air resistance stopped working, what would happen to Mr. Ameur’s speed?
His speed would keep increasing until other forces stopped him.
What are the two main forces opposing Mr. Ameur’s motion as he skis?
Air resistance and gravity.
Why is Mr. Ameur’s velocity lower than predicted in real-life conditions?
Air resistance and friction dissipate some of the mechanical energy.
How is precision ensured in these experiments?
By repeating trials at least 3 times and averaging the results.
What force counteracts the perpendicular component of gravity?
The normal force (Fn)
In the story, where did Mr. Ameur end up after gravity stopped?
He floated into space.
How does increasing speed affect the air resistance acting on Mr. Ameur?
Air resistance increases proportionally to the square of the speed
If the slope angle doubles, how does it affect the acceleration?
Acceleration increases proportionally to sin(θ)
Which formula verifies acceleration in the slope experiment?
a=2d/t^2
How does Mr. Ameur reduce air resistance while skiing?
By adopting a streamlined posture to reduce cross-sectional area.
How could Mr. Ameur find his way back to Earth in the story?
He can't, he could still rely on the laws of physics (or hoping gravity returns).