User's Manual

Model No. ME-9845 Ballistic Pendulum Accessory

3. Insert the flag into the car (Figure 5).

4. Before releasing the car, make sure that when the car passes through the photogate, the

flag blocks the photogate beam. If not, adjust the photogate up and down, so that the flag

blocks the photogate beam. The nuts on the photogate support peg allow changing of the

sideways position of the photogate. (For more information, see the Roller Coaster

Manual.) Release the car from the track.

Option 2: Measuring the Speed of the Car without Photogates:

If a photogate is not available, calculate the theoretical speed by measuring the height of the

car above the table both at the top and bottom of the hill. Use the following equation to

calculate the theoretical speed:

mgh=½mv

Note: The speed does not depend on the mass of the car.

photogate

Figure 5: Car with Flag Entering Photogate

flag