Free Fall Experiment

One of the major topics discussed in Physics is the study of free

fall, or the effect of the force of gravity on any object. This
experiments aimed to investigate the mechanics or the action of
gravity an object by analyzing certain vectors related to free fall
versus time graphs. These studies on free fall are important if
further studies of projectile motion are being made.
The objective of the study is to show that velocity, acceleration and
distance are related such that one is actually the slope of the other.
The slope of velocity is acceleration. The slope of distance is
velocity. Hence, changes in one of the factors involving a certain
object, the other related factors are also inevitably altered. This
exercise also seeks to prove the constant of acceleration due to
gravity.
The first activity utilized the ULI, photogate and Logger Pro systems
to analyze graphs for free fall. The photogate system was first
assembled and connected to the computer using the ULI. Three graphs
were analyzed by the Logger Pro program namely distance vs. time,
velocity vs. time, and acceleration vs. time graphs. A chopper was
dropped in between the photogate, and data of various components such
as acceleration were recorded and plotted on the different graphs in
the program. After data collection, a linear fit and a quadratic curve
was tested upon the graph of distance vs. time. It was found out that
a quadratic curve would fit better for the distance vs. time graph
rather than a linear fit. This shows that the distance follows a
parabolic curve as time progress during a free fall. This is shown by
the equation X = X0 + V0t 1/2gt2, or D= V0t 1/2gt2 .A quadratic
equation has a form ax2 + bx + c = 0, where ax2 is 1/2gt2 , bx is V0t,
and c is X X0 which is also the displacement or as scalar quantity,
the distance D. The graph of velocity vs. time is a linear equation,
in which a slope may be taken by the equation y = mx + b. Our equation
is V0 = gt. If the derivative of the graph of distance vs. time were
taken, the resulting derivative would be the linear graph of velocity
vs. time. Furthermore, if the derivative of the graph of velocity vs.
time were taken, we would have the graph of acceleration vs. time,
which has the equation y = m, or a horizontal graph. This graph is
logical for acceleration, since in a free fall, the acceleration of
the object is at a constant 9.8m/s2.
The average slope of the graph of velocity vs. time in five trials was
taken to compare with the theoretical acceleration of gravity (9.8m/s2).

In computing, we had a value of 9.428 m/s2, which was 3.79% off from
the theoretical. We computed for the percentage error by the equation
(theoretical actual) / theoretical * 100. This is a large percentage
error as compared to percentage errors acquired by other groups.
Several causes of error may be attributed to this. Mechanical errors,
or errors in the equipment may have caused this. The photogate wasnt
working at first and had to be replaced. We even had to work with
another computer, since the computer assigned to our table was
malfunctioning.
The second activity utilized an accelerometer to measure the amount of
acceleration of an object at various heights/point from the ground. A
representative wore the accelerometer with the indicator arrow facing
upward, and then positioned himself in a trampoline. He would then
jump up in down within a certain time of about five seconds. The
acceleration was then graphed in the computer by a series of crests
and troughs. The pattern of the graph was somewhat uniform all
throughout, with crests and troughs at close to regular intervals
paralleled to the different points at the jump of the representative.
It was noticed that at a higher point during the jump, the graph
shifted downward. Inversely, when the representative landed in the
trampoline, the graph shot upward. This was reasonable. The force of
gravity increases as an object is closer to the ground. This why the
graph moved upwards when the representative landed on the trampoline.
Crests represented high rates of acceleration. Similarly, crests
indicate that the representative nearer to ground. The troughs, on the
other hand, indicate lower rates of acceleration. The force of gravity
decreases as an object is farther from the ground. At the peak of the
representatives jump, the graph would move downward, creating the low
points of the graph.
However, the orientation of the graph may be changed. Remember that
before jumping, the indicator arrow was flipped upwards. The effect on
the graph was it shot downwards at peaks of the jump, and it moved
upwards whenever the representative landed. If the indicator arrow is
flipped downward, the previous graph will also be flipped. Instead of
an increasing positive value as one descends, the meter will read an
increasingly negative value. This is simply an indication of the
direction of the acceleration., which going down.
In this activity, we have learned the relationships between time,
distance, velocity and acceleration. In addition, we are also able to
confirm the presence of acceleration due to gravity. Even if the
theoretical is 9.8m/s2 , the presence of factors like air resistance

lessens this value.

Projectile motion
DISCUSSION:
The motion of an object moving both horizontally and falling freely under the
influence of gravity is
referred to as projectile motion. Though the horizontal and vertical motions occur
simultaneously, they
are otherwise independent of each other. Since there is no horizontal component of
acceleration, the
velocity in the x-direction will be constant. Likewise, the vertical component of the
motion should be that
of free-fall. The equation which describes projectile motion, ignoring air resistance
and where g =
9.81m/s2
, is:
A free falling object is an object that is falling under the sole influence of gravity.
Any object that is being acted upon only by the force of gravity is said to be in a
state of free fall. There are two important motion characteristics that are true of
free-falling objects:
Free-falling objects do not encounter air resistance.
All free-falling objects (on Earth) accelerate downwards at a rate of 9.8 m/s/s (often
approximated as 10 m/s/s for back-of-the-envelope calculations)
Because free-falling objects are accelerating downwards at a rate of 9.8 m/s/s, a
ticker tape trace or dot diagram of its motion would depict an acceleration.
Projectile motion
A projectile is an object upon which the only force acting is gravity. There are a
variety of examples of projectiles. An object dropped from rest is a projectile
(provided that the influence of air resistance is negligible). An object that is thrown
vertically upward is also a projectile (provided that the influence of air resistance is
negligible). And an object which is thrown upward at an angle to the horizontal is
also a projectile (provided that the influence of air resistance is negligible). A
projectile is any object that once projected or dropped continues in motion by its
own inertia and is influenced only by the downward force of gravity.

By definition, a projectile has a single force that acts upon it - the force of gravity. If
there were any other force acting upon an object, then that object would not be a

projectile. Thus, the free-body diagram of a projectile would show a single force
acting downwards and labeled force of gravity (or simply Fgrav). Regardless of
whether a projectile is moving downwards, upwards, upwards and rightwards, or
downwards and leftwards, the free-body diagram of the projectile is still as depicted
in the diagram at the right. By definition, a projectile is any object upon which the
only force is gravity.

Free fall motion

One important elementary example of motion is that of free fall, which is the motion
of an object only under the influence of gravity. It is a remarkable fact, first
discovered over 300 years ago by Galileo and others, that objects in free fall motion
descend at the same rate, independent of their mass, as long as the effects of air
resistance can be neglected. This means that under free fall all objects have the
same constant acceleration, which in the metric system is 9.8 m/s2 at sea level,
directed towards the center of the earth. One fairly dramatic illustration of this fact
can be done by taking a fairly large text book (say the one for this course), and a
piece of paper that is just smaller than the pages in the book. If you hold the book in
your left hand and the sheet of paper in your right, then drop them simultaneously,
it is quite evident that the two do not fall towards the Earth at the same rate. This
shows why for a long time people believed that objects fell at different rates.
However, if you now put the piece of paper on top of the text book, and drop them
together, you will see quite dramatically that the paper and the book drop at
precisely the same rate. In the second experiment, clearly the text book, which is
less affected by air resistance, is shielding the piece of paper from the affects of air
resistance so that both are essentially moving only under the influence of gravity.
Consequently, as stated above, they accelerate at the same rate.
Graphs of how the position, velocity, and acceleration of objects under free fall
motion change in time follow.
S and t graph = u shape
V and t = straight
A and t = horizontal