Free Fall Lab

Julie Kim Free Fall Lab

Purpose: to use collected data and the kinematics equations to determine the value of local gravity

Data: 161 cm(1 m/100 cm) = 1.61 m height 16.5 gmass of small ball 28.0 gmass of big ball 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Average Small 0.585 sec 0.571 sec 0.567 sec 0.571 sec 0.571 sec 0.572 sec 0.571 sec 0.574 sec 0.576 sec 0.571 sec 0.573 sec Big 0.573 sec 0.568 sec 0.569 sec 0.569 sec 0.570 sec 0.569 sec 0.571 sec 0.563 sec 0.571 sec 0.570 sec 0.569 sec

Analysis of Data:

1. Determine the average time of each set of ten drops. See data table. 2. Use the average time, height and kinematics equations to determine local gravity. Small Ball: y = vit+(1/2)at2 1.61 = (0*0.573)+(1/2)a(0.5732) a = 9.81 m/s2 Big Ball: y = vit+(1/2)at2 1.61 = (0*0.569)+(1/2)a(0.5692) a = 9.95 m/s2 3. Calculate

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the percent error between each calculated local gravity and the accepted value of gravity, 9.8 m/s2. Small Ball: [(9.819.8)/9.8]*100 = 0.10% Big Ball: [(9.95-9.8)/9.8]*100 = 1.53% 4. How do the drop times compare between the two different sized balls? Is thi s consistent with the concepts learned in class? Explain. The drop times between the two different sized balls are very similar. The difference between the two averages is only 0.004 seconds. This is consistent with the concepts learned in class; we learned that all objects fall at the same rate. The two balls fell at very close rates. Error Analysis: Air resistance could have caused the smaller ball to fall at a slightly slower rate. Also, the machine might not have been reset to zero before the ball was released. See #3 of the Analysis of Data section for percent error calculations. Conclusion: All objects, no matter what the volume or mass, fall at the same rate, as seen by the very close gravity values of the 16.5 g ball and 28.0 g ball. This lab was easy and quick to do. The only problem was...

Free Fall
Sample Formal Laboratory Report for Physics on the Picket Fence Lab (CP) without the parachute

Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to verify the acceleration due to gravity using the picket fence with a photogate, LabPro and LoggerPro software by measuring it with a precision of 0.5% or better.

Theory: All objects, regardless of mass, fall with the same acceleration due to gravity assuming that there is no air resistance. Objects thrown upward or downward and those released from rest are falling freely once they are released. Any freely falling object experiences acceleration directed downward, regardless of the direction of its motion at any instant. The symbol g is used for this special acceleration at the Earths surface. The value of g is approximately 9.8 m/sec2. Since we are neglecting air friction and assuming that the free fall acceleration is constant, the motion of a freely falling object is equivalent to motion in one dim ension under constant acceleration. Therefore the constant acceleration

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equations can be applied. Objects falling downward only under the influence of gravity can be graphically analyzed with a displacement versus time graph shown by a parabolic curve described in graph 1. This graph shows that as the object is falling, the displacemen t it travels each second is greater than the prior second. This graph can be mathematically illustrated by the equation which is the equation for displacement as a function of time. (y v tt graph 1 graph 2 Graph 2 shows the velocity as a function of time which is a linear relation for constant acceleration shown by the equation [pic]. Keeping acceleration constant, the graph of acceleration versus time would be a horizontal line at the value of acceleration. Definition of symbols used: t = time vi = initial velocity a = acceleration (y = vertical displacement vf = final velocity g = acceleration due to gravity Method: 1. Set up...