AIM:

Determining the difference in acceleration due to gravity denoted by

g with the help of a parachute of different surface areas and releasing at
different heights to calculate the net upward acceleration caused due to force
acting on the area of parachute and the force acting per unit area.

APPARATUS REQUIRED:
Parachutes, 60gms of weight, stop clock, electronic weighing machine,
match box, Candle.

FORMULA USED:
An object falling from rest and no change in air density with altitude,
the solution is:
RESULTANT ACCELERATION AND FORCE:
.(1)

RESULTANT VELOCITY:
.(2)

where the terminal speed is given by,

..(3)
THEORY:
Releasing the parachute the weight pulls down on the strings and opens up a
large surface area of material that uses air resistance to slow it down. The
larger the surface area the more air resistance and the slower the parachute
will drop.
The air molecules covered by the large surface area of the plastic tend to
move upwards applying a reverse force to the force of gravity.

CALCULATION AND OBSERVATION:
1. PARAMATERS KEPT CONSTANT
Same height
Same material
But different surface area.

Difference in gravity (g)

g =9.8m/s
2
(approx 10m/s
2
)
T
o
= time taken for descent with parachute
V

= terminal velocity determined using equation 3
V = velocity with parachute using equation 2
a= resultant value of acceleration towards earth determined using equation 1

INFERENCE:
Larger the surface area the more air resistance and the slower the parachute
will drop.

S.No:- T
o

(s)
V


(m/s)
V

(m/s)

ma

(N)
a

(m/s
2
)

g a

(m/s
2
)

Resultant
Difference
(m/s
2
)

(60x60)

1.

11

0.65

1.19

0.38

7.37

9.98-7.37


2.61
(50x50)

2.

7

0.54

0.51

0.596

8.73


9.98-8.73

1.26
(40x40)

3.

5

0.43

0.3456

0.89

9.34

9.98-9.34

0.64
RESULT:

Therefore the net acceleration and the difference between the acceleration due to gravity
and the downward acceleration determined after using a parachute for different surface
area are given below:


1. 60x60 sq meter area
a = 7.37m/s
2
a= 2.61 m/s
2

2. 5050 sq meter area
a=8.73 m/s
2

a=1.26 m/s
2

3. 4040 sq meter area
a=9.34 m/s
2

a=0.64 m/s
2



2. PARAMATERS KEPT CONSTANT
Same surface area
Same material
But at different height

Difference in gravity (g)
Area 60x60 sq centimeters



Area 50x50 sq centimeters

S.No:- To
(s)
Vo
Infinity
(m/s)
V
(m/s)

ma
(N)
a
(m/s
2
)

g a
(m/s
2
)

Resultant
Difference
(m/s
2
)

1
st
floor
1.

4

0.65

0.41

0.21

5.0


9.98-5



4.98
2
nd
floor
2.

6

0.65

0.67

0.51

8.65

9.98-8.65

1.33
3
rd
floor
3.

11

0.65

1.19

0.38

7.37

9.98-7.37

2.61
S.No:- To
(s)
Vo
Infinity
(m/s)
V
(m/s)

ma
(N)
a
(m/s
2
)

g a
(m/s
2
)

Resultant
Difference
(m/s
2
)

1
st
floor
1.

3

0.54

0.24

0.59

9.88

9.98-9.88

0.10
2
nd
floor
2.


5

0.54

0.54

0.56

9.30

9.98-9.30

0.68
3
rd
floor
3.

7

0.54

0.51

0.596

3.73

9.98-3.73

1.26

INFERENCE:

1. Change the Chute
o Try changing the size of the parachute. Do this by modifying the radius of
the parachute to create either a larger or smaller parachute. Test both
modifications by dropping your weight and seeing how the parachute
reacts, and then record the results. You can also experiment with the shape
of the parachute. You might try an oval parachute, for example. Another
modification you can make is adding slits or holes to the parachute. This
will usually speed it up greatly.
Change the Materials
o Make parachutes out of different materials. Record your observations and
see which materials perform best. Try making the parachute out of paper
instead of a plastic bag. Record whether or not it performs better than the
plastic or if it is too heavy to create sufficient drag. Find out whether cloth
makes an effective chute or if it lets too much air in. You could use elastic
instead of thread, or you might use wool.
Change the Weight
o Using a model parachute, experiment with changing the weight of the
parachute's payload. If you start with three washers, for example, reduce it
to one. Compare this descent time to that of when it had three washers.
Then try adding washers so that there are five. Again test the parachute.
Record how more weight and less weight affect the parachute. When there
is too little weight or too much weight, the parachute does not work
properly.
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