Lab: Acceleration Due to Gravity

1) OBJECTIVE

To study the motion of a free falling object to determine a value for the acceleration of gravity.

2) CALCULATIONS

1. For Graph 1 (Velocity Changes),

a. Estimate the slope of the curve at t_i = 0.2 sec and t₁ = 0.4 sec on your plot by drawing two tangent lines to the curve, one at each point in time.

b. What are the units of the slope values?

c. Explain why the slope values are different.

2. For Graph 2 (Final Velocity vs. t₁),

a. Determine the slope of the line shown by this graph.

b. What are the units of the slope value?

c. Calculate the percent error of your slope compared with g = 9.8 m/sec².

3. For Graph 3 (Distance vs. (t₁²/2)),

a. Determine the slope of the line shown by the plot of distance vs. (t₁²/2).

b. What are the units of the slope value?

c. Calculate the percent error of your slope compared with g = 9.8 m/sec².

4. For Graph 4 (v² vs. 2s )

a. Determine the slope of the line shown by this graph.

b. What are the units of the slope value?

c. Calculate the percent error of your slope compared with g = 9.8 m/sec².

5. Compare the slopes at t₁ = 0.2 sec and t₁ = 0.4 sec in graph 1 with the final velocities at t₁= 0.2 sec and t₁ = 0.4 sec in graph 2. You can calculate these final velocities from the equation of the best fit line of graph 2. Calculate the percent difference.

3) QUESTIONS

1. What is the shape of your distance vs. time curve for the falling object, and what does this tell you about the object's velocity?

2. Because acceleration is the change in velocity with respect to time, is the acceleration you show in the graph of velocity vs. time constant or changing? Why?

3. Use the equation of a straight line, y = mx + b, to show that your plot of distance vs. t²/2 is the equation of a falling body, where

S = S_int. + (1/2)gt²
With S_int.= 0, s = (1/2)gt²

4) ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION

1. Discuss how you met the stated objectives.

2. Review the percent errors between your three experimental values of "g" compared to the given value of g = 9.8 m/sec².

3. Discuss sources of error that affect your experimental determination of "g".

4. Describe the four plots you made and how they should be interpreted.

Attachment:- Lab Acceleration Due to Gravity.xlsx