Measuring the motion of a propeller-driven cart
Connect the SmartWheel to your handheld computer. Refer to Technical Hints to see how to connect the SmartWheel.
Find a smooth surface, such as a tabletop or a linoleum floor, where the air cart will roll smoothly and easily. Drape the connecting wire loosely from above the cart so that it doesn't pull the cart one way or the other. If you run the cart a long way, one person will need to walk along with it, keeping the wire floppy.
Start the software and observe the position versus time graph.
Start the propeller, holding on to the cart. Let the cart go and let it run for as far as you have space. Be sure to keep the wire floppy, so that it doesn't pull or push on the cart. Try several times until you get a really good graph, then save your data to the handheld computer.
What is the shape of the position graph? Is it a straight line? Why do you think it has this shape? What would it look like if your cart could keep going farther? Explain your reasoning in Notes on your handheld computer.
