nysical Sciences Gr11 Sractical
Draw and label the forces acting on the trolley when it is a) running at constant velocity
on the track and b) accelerating down the track.

When the trolley is running at constant velocity on the track, the forces acting on it include gravitational force pulling it downward, a normal force from the track pushing it upward, and frictional force opposing any motion, but since it’s constant, friction balances with the driving force. This state of affairs indicates that the net force is zero, allowing the trolley to maintain steady speed.

When the trolley is accelerating down the track, the gravitational force still acts downward, but now it’s greater than the normal force and any friction acting against the motion. The net force is unbalanced, resulting in acceleration. As the trolley gears up, the driving force becomes dominant, amplifying the downward motion and propelling it forward faster along the slope. Generally, drawing these forces helps visualize the concept of Newton’s Second Law!