Free Fall

Lab Report
By: Siriwat Jaichobchune
Nattapicha Akkho
Kanoklada Chantasiro
1106 Group 1
Introduction
Humans are able to be on the earth’s surface because of
gravity; according to Erikson and Doyle (2018) gravity is the force in
the planet that pulls objects in the direction of its center. Stadsvold
(2016) described that when an object is dropped it falls towards
earth also because the force of gravity that type of movement is
called free fall. Free fall is movement of an object that has gravity
serve as the only force that affect an object’s movement without air
resistance (Stadsvold, 2016). With only gravity as the force free fall
acceleration is approximately 9.8 meter per second as an object is
moving towards the ground, or 32 feet per second (Stadsvold,
2016). Using kinematic equation, the distance traveled by an object
can be calculate using gravity as acceleration said The Physic
Classroom (2018).
There are three formulas used in this lab which are for finding
time, formula for instantaneous velocity, and formula for percentage
difference. The formula for finding time is vf= vi +at, and in this
formula ’t' is the time recorded by timer a, b and c, or the time
calculated by the experimenters. In the displacement formula, ‘Δx’
stands for displacement, ‘a' stands for acceleration, ’t' stands for
time, the formula is Δx= vit + ½tat2. The formula for percentage
difference is yf - ym divided by (yf + ym)x0.5, then times 100 where yf
stands for distance from calculation, and ym stands for the real or
measured distance. The formula for instantaneous velocity is Δx= vf
- ½ at2 where vf stands for final velocity.
Objective
The main objective is to find the instantaneous velocities
of both light and heavy objects. According to Introduction to
Free Fall (the Physics Classroom), objects that are
experiencing free falling have the same time interval, which
means that objects should have the same instantaneous
velocity: velocity at that instant moment. In all the free fall
formula, an object’s mass is not calculated, but in real life,
where there is air resistance, will mass affects the velocity of
the object? So, the purpose of this experiment was to find
how mass affects velocity of a falling object by finding
instantaneous velocities and times for two objects with
different masses.
Materials
These are the materials needed to conduct the
experiment:
Set Up
Siriwat as Timer A Kanoklada as Nattapicha as
Timer B Timer C
Procedure
1. Assign roles for each member:

• 3 timers at the 4th floor (with extra task each)

• Timer A: Drop balls

• Timer B: Take note

• Timer C: Measure with the measuring tape

 2. Timers go to the 4th floor with:

• 6 balls (3 basketballs + 3 golf balls)

• Measuring Tape

• 3 stopwatches

• Worksheet

• Pen/Pencil

3. Timer C use measuring tape to measure the height from the balcony

to the ground with assistance from ball collector on the ground floor

4. Timer B note down the measured height

5. All timers get ready to record the data

 6. Timer A drop the ball and at the time, give a signal to start time

recording until the ball hit the ground (All timers measure the time

separately)

7. Timer B write down all timers measurement in the worksheet

8. Repeat for trail #2 and #3. Then move on to next object (3 more trials) 

9. Ball collector bring all the balls back to the lab

Results The direction
downward is
positive for the
sake of simplicity
Table A: Heavy Object
Height of the fourth floor Balcony: 14.69 m

The work for the calculations

*The experimenters decided to make the direction downward a

positive direction so that readers will be able to see why it
accelerates and it is more understandable.
Results
Table B: Light Object
Height of the fourth floor Balcony: 14.69 m

The work for the calculations

Results
Table C: Light & Heavy
Instantaneous velocity and time

The work for the calculations

Discussion
Analysis
As can be seen on the table that the measured height and

calculated height for both heavy and light object is not the same;

heavy object has 18.06m as averaged calculated distance, while

light object has 15.54m. The measured distance is 14.69m. The

problem was caused by the difference of time from each timer; one

or more timers could start the watch a split second before or after

the ball was dropped. Also, the calculation is not accurate because

the calculation ignores air resistance for the sake of simplicity and

experiment constructors that haven’t learned how to include air

resistance.

The results from the first and second table help to identify

human errors and miscalculations. They help the experimenters

know their errors, for example, how timers do not have the same

measured time, and it is different from the calculated time. The

third table has the results that showed the calculated velocity and

time at halfway and the instant that it hit the ground. This helps to

answer the question of this experiment: does mass affect the

velocity?
Discussion
However, there are mistakes in the calculations. The mistakes

are caused by lack of exactness, negligibility of air resistance,

human errors, and lack of knowledge. For future experiments,

experimenters can have more precise answers. Later on, if

students that conducted the experiment learn how to accumulate

air resistance into the result, then the answer could change.

Experimenters could also take video of the objects falling to

determine the time, or use sensors to indicate the time.

The results show that the object fall at the same speed,

velocity. It can be demonstrated by comparing the result of table

C. They have the same velocity and time at the their midway and

the instant that it hit the ground. This indicates that at a moment of

their fallings, they are at the same position and time. However, the

calculation, as mentioned before, is not accurate because air

resistance is negligible. Nevertheless, according to the results from

this experiment, mass does not affect the velocity and time of an

object.
 Conclusion
After the lab, the result from the calculation illustrates that

an object’s mass that are dropped do not affect their velocity

both instantaneous, and the final velocity. It has been proved by

this experiment that heavy object, and light object have the

same final velocity and instantaneous velocity; both are equal

to each other.
 References
Erickson, K., & Doyle H. (2018). What is Gravity?. NASA Space Place, Retrieved

from https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/what-is-gravity/en/

N.A., (1996-2018). Introduction to Free Fall. The physics Classroom, Retrieved

from https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/1DKin/Lesson-5/

Introduction

N.A., (1996-2018). Kinematic Equations and Free Fall. The Physics Classroom,

Retrieved from https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/1DKin/

Lesson-6/Kinematic-Equations-and-Free-Fall

Stadsvold, J., (2016). What is Free Fall? A Quick Lesson n physics. Head Rush

Technologies, Retrieved from https://headrushtech.com/blogs/what-is-

free-fall/