Free Falling experiment
Introduction
If a body is dropped from a certain height (S) falls for a time (t), then the equation of motion of a body can be written as :
S= v1t+1/2gt2
Where v1 is the initial velocity. If a body is dropped from rest and falls freely then v1=0 ms-1 and the equation can be written as S=1/2gt2
Equipment
Electronic timer, steel ball, contact pins, ruler and trip plate.
Procedure
Set the apparatus so that the ball hits the trip plate directly.
The steel ball is held by electromagnet and the timer is said to read zero, as the ball released the start circuit is ON and the time of start is recorded. At the end of its fall the ball will strike the trip plate which opens the stop circuit causing the timer to stop.
Put the release mechanism switch ON.
Read out the time t for the free fall distance S.Results