Physics Lab Report 1
Kathryn Marchessault
Physics Lab LR
Tuesday 8-9:55
Due 02/26/15
Experiment #1
Free Fall Experiment
Abstract In this experiment we studied the motion of an object in free fall, that is an object being dropped from a certain height to Earth’s surface. In this experiment we tested the idea that no matter what the size, shape, color, etc. of the object if it would still experience the same constant acceleration throughout its fall (short distance). The constant downward acceleration it experiences is due to Earth’s gravitational force (g). We measure the position, and velocity of a ball to get the experimental g. We then measured reaction time with a ruler. We used our data and g, to get an average distance and time.
Report Questions
1. The parabolic curve opens upward in the position vs. time graph, because this graph is measuring the position of the ball from the sensor. The ball is at first falling down and then bounces back up. This would cause the ball to move away from its original position, downward, and then as it hits the floor and bounces back up the graph would show this by curving back up to its original position.
2.
The slope of the velocity vs. time graph represents the acceleration of the object. If you were to take the derivative of this graph, you would get the graph for acceleration vs. time. Since the object shows the velocity graph as a straight increasing line, this shows that the slope is constant, which proves that acceleration of this object is a constant nonzero number.
3. The ball bouncing back up from the floor after being dropped represents the ball no longer being in free fall. This is because when an object is in free fall the only force that is acting on it is g, the constant acceleration due to Earth’s gravitational force. When the ball is bouncing back up it is receiving an additional force from the floor, making g not the only thing acting on the object.
4. It is possible for the ball’s velocity and acceleration to point
Physics Lab LR
Tuesday 8-9:55
Due 02/26/15
Experiment #1
Free Fall Experiment
Abstract In this experiment we studied the motion of an object in free fall, that is an object being dropped from a certain height to Earth’s surface. In this experiment we tested the idea that no matter what the size, shape, color, etc. of the object if it would still experience the same constant acceleration throughout its fall (short distance). The constant downward acceleration it experiences is due to Earth’s gravitational force (g). We measure the position, and velocity of a ball to get the experimental g. We then measured reaction time with a ruler. We used our data and g, to get an average distance and time.
Report Questions
1. The parabolic curve opens upward in the position vs. time graph, because this graph is measuring the position of the ball from the sensor. The ball is at first falling down and then bounces back up. This would cause the ball to move away from its original position, downward, and then as it hits the floor and bounces back up the graph would show this by curving back up to its original position.
2.
The slope of the velocity vs. time graph represents the acceleration of the object. If you were to take the derivative of this graph, you would get the graph for acceleration vs. time. Since the object shows the velocity graph as a straight increasing line, this shows that the slope is constant, which proves that acceleration of this object is a constant nonzero number.
3. The ball bouncing back up from the floor after being dropped represents the ball no longer being in free fall. This is because when an object is in free fall the only force that is acting on it is g, the constant acceleration due to Earth’s gravitational force. When the ball is bouncing back up it is receiving an additional force from the floor, making g not the only thing acting on the object.
4. It is possible for the ball’s velocity and acceleration to point