To find out how increasing the height an object is dropped from, affects its average speed.

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Adrianna Harold 10B1 01-05-02

Physics Coursework

Aim: To find out how increasing the height an object is dropped from, affects its average speed.

Prediction: I predict that the higher the object is dropped from the faster its average speed. This is because gravity pulls everything down and the higher an object is dropped from, the more time it has to accelerate until it reaches terminal velocity.

V=ta+u

(Where V = Final Velocity, T=Time, A= Acceleration and U= Initial velocity)

In addition, the heavier an object, the longer the distance it has to travel before drag equals weight. This means the object will probably never reach terminal velocity.

Plan: First I will collect the equipment and use a ball of plasticine to drop through air as a freefall. I will drop the ball from heights of 30cm, 40cm, 50cm, 60cm, 70cm, 80cm, 90cm and 1m.

I will use a measuring stick to measure the heights from which to drop the plasticine. I will then drop the ball from each height and record the speed by timing how long it takes to reach the floor.

. Collect equipment (see below)

2. Set up metre stick along table leg

3. Prepare and weigh plasticine balls, making sure they are spherical

4. Hold the ball with the bottom of the plasticine just above measurement

5. Drop the ball timing it with the stopwatch until the exact moment it hits the floor
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6. Record results on a table (not the same table as the table leg (!) (Not funny-ed.)

Equipment:

Stopwatch x2

Plasticine (2 grams)

Weighing scales

Metre stick

Parachute (plastic carrier bag)

Fair Test: I will make sure this is a fair test by using the same size, weight and density plasticine each time. I will do this by weighing it before each experiment. I will use a 5 g ball. In addition, instead of dropping the ball by hand I will try to use another method so that the same ...

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