Factors affecting the acceleration of a ball bearing down a ramp

... ls over the second set, it again completes the circuit and stops the clock. I will take three readings, and in the end take the average. I will then be able to work out the velocity by using the formula as shown on the next page. Distance travelled in a given direction (m) 1. Velocity (m.s-1) = Time taken (s) On the second roll, the time it takes to roll from the top to the bottom will be measured. As the metal ball rolls over the electrodes at the top, it completes the circuit and starts the stop-clock. As it then rolls over the second set of electrodes, it again completes the circuit and stops the clock. Again I will take three readings, and in the end take the average. I already know the initial velocity to be zero, so using the final velocity and the time it takes the ball to roll down the ramp; I can work out the acceleration of the ball. I can work this out using the formula below. Change in velocity (m.s-1) 2. Acceleration (m.s-2) = Time taken for the change (s) I will do this with six different angles. I will use the angles 5°, 10°, 15°, 20°, 25° and 30°. From my preliminary work, these seemed like a good range of angles to use. To make it a fair test I will need to release each ball from the same spot on the ramp. On the second roll, the time it takes to roll from the top to the bottom will be measured. As the metal ball rolls over the electrodes at the top, it completes the circuit and starts the stop-clock. As it then rolls over the second set of electrodes, it again completes the circuit and stops the clock. Again I will take three readings, and in the end take the average. I already know the initial velocity to be zero, so using the final velocity and the time it takes the ball to roll down the r ...