Galileos Incline: the Effect of Gravity on an object

{Objective}
To investigate the relationship between displacement and time for a ball rolling down an incline and to calculate how much gravity (g) acts upon an object.

{Theory}
Velocity is the rate of change of displacement with time. Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity with time or the second derivative of displacement. x= x= at! or (gsin)t!

"isplacement vs. time with a constant acceleration gives a parabolic curve. This parabolic curve can be lineari#ed by ta$ing the s%uare root of displacement vs. time. y = &displacement = &x Ta$ing the slope of &displacement vs. time gives 'lope = rise(run y = mx ) b &x = (slope)t ) * x = (slope)! t! Therefore+ according to the formula given above+ substitution results in (slope)! t! = (slope)! = (gsin)t! (gsin) 2 units = (&m(s)

,solate the g variable to get the e%uation to calculate gravity. g = - !(slope)! . ( sin /ercent error is used to see how different our calculated gravitational constant is from the actual g (012 cm(s!). 3ind percent error by the following formula 4 difference = 2**4 x 5g 6 gcalc5( g

{Procedures}
2. "ivide the ramp length into e%ual parts+ using tape to mar$ measurements of 21* cm+ 27* cm+ 2!* cm+ 0* cm+ 8* cm+ and 9* cm. !. 'et up the ramp with an angle of 2*:. 9. ;se a stopwatch to measure the time it ta$es the ball to roll down the ramp from the 21* cm mar$. <epeat for 9 trials. =. <epeat step 9 for 27* cm+ 2!* cm+ 0* cm+ 8* cm+ and 9* cm. >a$e sure 9 trials are performed for each mar$. *Note: Use a pen to hold the ball at its starting position, then pull it away quickly to release the ball uniformly. 7. <ecord all data. 8. <epeat for an angle of 27:.

{Sam le !alculations}
2. Average time for trials 2 through 9 with a displacement of 21*.* cm Average time = (t2 ) t! ) t9) ( 9 Average time = (9.77 ) 9.=2 ) 9.77) ( 9 Average time = 9.7* s !. &displacement (&x) of 21*.* cm y = &displacement y = &21*.* cm y = 29.=! cm2(! 9. ?ravitational constant g from the slope of &displacement vs. time with an angle of 7:. 3

g = - !(slope)! . ( sin g = - !((2*.0760.=0)((!.8=6!.=*))! . ( sin(7) g = 9@.*2 cm(s!

{Gra hs " dis lacement vs# avera$e time}

{Gra hs " dis lacement vs# avera$e time}

{%esults}
The graphs shown above demonstrate a scatter plot of our data+ in a linear form and a parabolic curve. &"isplacement vs. time is the lineari#ed form of the displacement vs. time graph (parabolic curve). As one can see from the graph+ the line of best fit does not go through all the points or just the last and first point. Aine of best fit can vary with each person and what he or she decides would be the overall line that would most accurately describe the data. Bowever+ our times were very off+ which can be accounted for by reaction time. There are a few points that are outliers in the data. 3or example+ in the &displacement vs. average time graph for 7:+ the first and last points are outliers and obvious errors+ so they would not appropriate data points for the line of best fit. As for the displacement vs. time graph+ since our data were inaccurate+ our graph does not loo$ much li$e a parabolic curveC there is a slight but barely discernible curve in the graph. The displacement vs. time graphs are not needed in any calculations+ but they

provide a visual of how the parabolic curve with the original data is supposed to loo$ and a comparison to the lineari#ed form of &displacement vs. time. 'tated earlier in the DEbjective+F the purpose of this lab was to find a calculated gravitational constant+ g. Ge performed the experiment by the procedures givenC however+ our gravitational constant was very off+ which resulted in a very large percent difference. Ge had a percent difference of 08.!94 and ==.@@4. To account for the large disparity in calculated gravitational constant and actual+ friction+ air resistance+ human error+ reaction time+ line of ballHs travel+ angle of the ramp+ and release of the ball will all be factors in calculations and wrong data. >y group also switched around who would $eep time on a stopwatch+ which would change reaction time. <eaction time was not factored out of the data.