Free Fall Lab
Free-Fall Lab Assignment Nishad Gothoskar Physics Online
Experimental Design: In order to design an experiment to measure free-fall acceleration, the researcher must construct a wooden tower with height 10 meters along with a trap door system to release a tennis ball from rest position. In this case, the researcher must measure the time the ball takes to free-fall from rest position to the ground. Using this info and the formula:
s=vit+ 12at2 s = 10 m vi = 0 m/s
The researcher will find the time of fall and calculate the acceleration due to gravity. In this case with displacement being 10 meters, the expected time would be around1.4 s. Any differing results can be attributed to human error of timing as well as to air resistance (minimal).
Hypothesis: If the acceleration due to gravity is measured on Earth, Moon, and Mars, then the results will be different due to the fact that each planet and satellite has a different gravitational attraction since each has a different mass. The researcher believes that each of the values will differ with the largest acceleration being Earth and the smallest acceleration being the Moon. The researcher also predicts that their results will be comparable to given standards however error and uncontrollable factors including air resistance will alter results slightly.
Data & Analysis:
Earth: Free-Fall Acceleration | Time(s) | 0 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1 | Distance (m) | 0 | 0.2 | 0.82 | 1.79 | 3.21 | 4.99 | Average Velocity (m/s) | | 1 | 3.1 | 4.85 | 7.1 | 8.9 | Average Acceleration (m/s2) | | | 10.5 | 8.75 | 11.25 | 9 |
Moon: Free-Fall Acceleration | Time(s) | 0 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 2 | Distance(m) | 0 | 0.13 | 0.53 | 1.17 | 2.09 | 3.27 | Average Velocity(m/s) | | 0.33 | 0.55 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 3 | Average Acceleration(m/s2) | | | 0.55 | 2.63 | 1.75 | 1.75 |
Mars: Free-Fall Acceleration | Time(s) | 0 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 1.5 | Distance(m) | 0 | 0.17 |
Experimental Design: In order to design an experiment to measure free-fall acceleration, the researcher must construct a wooden tower with height 10 meters along with a trap door system to release a tennis ball from rest position. In this case, the researcher must measure the time the ball takes to free-fall from rest position to the ground. Using this info and the formula:
s=vit+ 12at2 s = 10 m vi = 0 m/s
The researcher will find the time of fall and calculate the acceleration due to gravity. In this case with displacement being 10 meters, the expected time would be around1.4 s. Any differing results can be attributed to human error of timing as well as to air resistance (minimal).
Hypothesis: If the acceleration due to gravity is measured on Earth, Moon, and Mars, then the results will be different due to the fact that each planet and satellite has a different gravitational attraction since each has a different mass. The researcher believes that each of the values will differ with the largest acceleration being Earth and the smallest acceleration being the Moon. The researcher also predicts that their results will be comparable to given standards however error and uncontrollable factors including air resistance will alter results slightly.
Data & Analysis:
Earth: Free-Fall Acceleration | Time(s) | 0 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1 | Distance (m) | 0 | 0.2 | 0.82 | 1.79 | 3.21 | 4.99 | Average Velocity (m/s) | | 1 | 3.1 | 4.85 | 7.1 | 8.9 | Average Acceleration (m/s2) | | | 10.5 | 8.75 | 11.25 | 9 |
Moon: Free-Fall Acceleration | Time(s) | 0 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 2 | Distance(m) | 0 | 0.13 | 0.53 | 1.17 | 2.09 | 3.27 | Average Velocity(m/s) | | 0.33 | 0.55 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 3 | Average Acceleration(m/s2) | | | 0.55 | 2.63 | 1.75 | 1.75 |
Mars: Free-Fall Acceleration | Time(s) | 0 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 1.5 | Distance(m) | 0 | 0.17 |