Quick Answer: The Newton’s Second Law Apparatus is used to show that acceleration depends on the net force on a body and on its mass, using a low-friction trolley on a graduated track pulled by hanging slotted weights over a pulley.
Last updated: October 2026
Key Features
Low-friction, multi-wheel trolley
Track with dual-side metric scale
Adjustable-height ball-bearing pulley
Slotted weights with hanger
Works with ticker timers, photogates and motion sensors
Students add weights to the hanger to raise the force, or to the trolley to raise the mass, and time the trolley along the track to see how its acceleration changes. The readings can be graphed to show the linear relationship, and the same set-up can be used to show inertia and conservation of momentum. Schools, colleges and institutes in Guinea, Moldova, United Kingdom, Trinidad and Tobago and Chile can order the Newtons Second Law Apparatus from Educational Instrument.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the apparatus be used with electronic timing?
Yes. It can be timed manually or used with ticker timers, photogates and motion sensors.
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