Resolving Forces on a Slope

Lab Brief #11

🎯 Your mission

Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.

⚡ The twist

Energy never disappears — it just hides somewhere else.

What you'll learn

A weight on a slope can be split into a component down the slope, mg sin θ, and one into the slope, mg cos θ. That is why a steeper ramp needs more force to hold a trolley still, and why the normal force falls as the angle rises.

Key words

component
The part of a vector acting along a chosen direction.
inclined plane
A flat sloping surface; a ramp.

Make a hypothesis first

Before you start: which will move faster, and why?

Say your guess out loud — then find out if you were right.

Get ready

🧰 What you need

ramp
trolley
newton meter
protractor

⚠️ Safety first

Have a partner block the ramp foot so the trolley cannot run off.

Step 1 of 4 · Read

Think about what you just learned: say what "component" and "inclined plane" mean in your own words before you start.

Step 2 of 4 · Do

Hold a trolley stationary on a ramp with a newton meter parallel to the slope, at 10°, 20° and 30°. Compare each reading with mg sin θ calculated from the trolley's weight.

Step 3 of 4 · Observe

Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.

Step 4 of 4 · Record

Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.

Question 1 of 2

The component of weight down a slope of angle θ is:

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 2 of 2

As a ramp is made steeper, the normal force on the trolley:

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Mind = blown

🎢 You feel weightless on a roller coaster because you and the seat are falling at the same speed.

Nice work!

You got 0 of 2 right.

Next: Centre of Mass and Stability All lessons

🎯

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✨ More to explore

🌍 Where you see this in real life: You use this every time you flip a light switch, ride a bike, or kick a ball.

🏆 Stretch challenge (try it this week): Time how long a small ball rolls down something, then change the slope and try again.

👨‍👩‍👧 For the dinner table: “Show me something at home that uses this kind of energy.”

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