Tilted Air Track

DCS Code: 1C20.30 Last Updated: March 27, 2026
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Purpose

A nearly frictionless air track tilted at an angle produces constant acceleration \(a = g\sin\theta\). The glider bounces off a rubber bumper at the end, and equally-spaced markers along the track enable quantitative observation of kinematic relationships.

PASCO aluminum air track on a green lab bench with adjustable metal leveling feet, a yellow measurement scale along the track, wooden blocks underneath for tilting, and the air blower unit at the right end
Figure 1: PASCO air track with built-in measurement scale, adjustable leveling feet, and air blower. Wooden blocks placed under the single-foot end create the tilt for uniform acceleration.
Equipment