Free falling experiment.

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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

  1. Set the apparatus so that the ball hits the trip plate directly.

  2. 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.

  3. Put the release mechanism switch ON.

  4. Read out the time t for the free fall distance S.Results

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Graph

        (Refer to the attached graphs).

Conclusion

        Calculation of the gradient:

(Y2 - Y1) / (X2 - X1)= (1.50 - 1.40) / (0.288369-0.269361)

                = 0.1/0.019008

                =5.26 m.s-2

So g= 5.26*2

       =10.52 m.s-2  

My values were close to the value which is 9.8 which is the pull of gravity towards the center of the earth. My results were reasonable and were between the range which is 8-11 and my values where in the middle which are around 10 which means that my results are right and reasonable.

The gradient ...

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