

Move the mechanism so the bottom of the ball is approximately 1.65 meters from the top of the timing pad. Record the height and time in the data table below. When you are ready to record the next drop, loosen the thumbscrew to release the ball.
ACCELERATION DUE TO GRAVITY LAB ANSWERS FALLING OBJECT FREE
Measure the height between the ball and the pad and record it in the Free Fall Data Table. Adjust the position of the release mechanism so the bottom of the ball is 1.70 meters above the timing pad. 5 Once again place the ball in the release mechanism. After the ball hits the timing pad, click Keep. Loosen the thumbscrew to release the ball. Click the Start button to begin data recording. Measure the height from the bottom of the ball to the top of the timing pad. Practice dropping the ball a few times before taking data. Adjust the position of the release mechanism so the bottom of the ball is approximately 1.75 meters above the timing pad. Press the spring-loaded rod inward to hold the ball in the mechanism, and tighten the thumbscrew to hold the rod in place. Place the larger ball (19 mm) in the release mechanism. Place the free fall adapter s timing pad on the floor directly below the release mechanism. Mount the free fall adapter s release mechanism horizontally in the clamp. Attach the right angle clamp to a vertical support rod. (Note: To bring a display to the top, click on its window or select the name of the display from the list at the end of the Display menu.)ģ PART II: Sensor Calibration and Equipment Setup You do not need to calibrate the free fall adapter. If you want to expand the Experiment Setup window to its original size, click on the Zoom box in the upper right hand corner of the window.

The Experimental Setup window has been resized. Open the DataStudio document titled as shown: Windows: P007_ADAP.DS The document will open with a Graph display of Distance (m) versus Time (sec), and a Table display of Free Fall Data, the time of fall. Then the slope of the (best fit line) for this graph will then give the acceleration due to gravity, g. The DataStudio program will then plot distance doubled vs. Using a meter stick, you will directly measure the height the ball falls.


If the acceleration is constant, what is the value of the acceleration? Is it the same for all objects or does it vary with mass, size, or with some other property of the object? If it is not constant, how does it vary with time? PROCEDURE For this laboratory activity, the free fall adapter will measure the time of fall for steel balls of different sizes and mass. THEORY One equation describing the motion of a body starting from rest and undergoing constant acceleration can be expressed as: d=½at² where d is the distance the object has traveled from its starting point, a is the acceleration of the object, and t is the time elapsed since the motion began.Ģ Therefore, the acceleration is equal to the distance doubled, divided by the time squared, or: a=2d/t² In order to measure the acceleration caused by the gravitational force, several questions must be answered: Is the acceleration constant? If it is, then the distance the object falls will be proportional to the square of the elapsed time, as in the above equation. 1 Experiment P007: Acceleration due to Gravity (Free Fall Adapter) EQUIPMENT NEEDED Science Workshop Interface Clamp, right angle Base and support rod Free fall adapter Balls, 13 mm and 19 mm Meter stick (or metric tape measure) PURPOSE The purpose of this laboratory activity is to measure the acceleration of a falling object assuming that the only force acting on the object is the gravitational force.
