Station 4

While working at station 4, our team discovered that even in a seemingly simple construction, complexity can be found. The construction conisited of a ring held beween two spring scales on ropes facing diagonally toward the ring. A 200g mass hung from the bottom of the ring. At first glance, we saw that the two cales registered 1N each, meaning that the total upward force on the ring was 2N. The mass, weighing 2N itself, showed us that the force of gravity on the ring must have been quite negligable, as otherwise, the ring would not have a constant velocity of zero. Instead, it would be moving downward. After drawing the different FBS's for the different parts of the construction, we found that the vectors created ended up creating a closed shape, meaning that we were correct in saying that the force of gravity on the ring should have been negligable. We learned that most of the time, the measurable forces will tell you what the unmeasurable or unforseeable forces will be through the process of elimination.