LAB Measuring the Acceleration due to Gravity (g)

Investigating Free Fall - Using PhET Interactive Simulation

Objective:
In this experiment you are going study the free fall motion as example for uniformly accelerated motion. You will
analyze your data using graphical methods and then determine the acceleration of gravity (g).

Theory:
A uniformly accelerated motion is the motion that undergoes along straight line with uniform (constant) acceleration.
The acceleration that you are going to determine in this experiment is known as the acceleration of free fall or the
acceleration due to gravity. Its value is often taken as 9.81 m/s2 and given the special gravity acceleration symbol (g).
The instant when the ball is released is considered to be the initial time t = 0. The position of the ball along the ruler
is described by the variable y. If an object is dropped from a certain height (y) and falls for a time (t), then the
position of the ball is given by
1
𝑦 = 𝑦𝑜 + 𝑣𝑜 𝑡 + 2 𝑎𝑡 2 (1)

The velocity of a freely falling object can also be described using the equation of one-dimensional motion with
constant acceleration,
𝑣 = 𝑣𝑜 + 𝑎𝑡 (2)
Assuming that the object is released from rest (vo = 0) and initial position yo = 0, then the object’s velocity and
distance traveled can be described in the equations:
1
𝑦 = 2 𝑔𝑡 2 (3)

𝑣 = 𝑔𝑡 (4)
The motion of the free-falling object can be described graphically using the previous equations.
The position time graph - the curve is an opens parabola where the slope of the tangent at a time is the
instantaneous velocity of the object at that time. And the acceleration due to gravity g can be determined by
linearizing the graph.
The velocity time graph - as the speed of the object is directly proportional with time, it will be a straight line.
Where the slope of the curve represents the acceleration of the object.
∆𝑣
𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 = ∆𝑡
= 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 𝑔

The area under the curve represent the distance traveled by the object during the time interval.

Materials
Computer with access to PhET simulation website

Procedure:
1. Visit Phet interactive simulation using the link below, then explore the simulation and find out the uses of
each tap and panel so you get familiar with it.
 https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/projectile-motion/latest/projectile-motion_en.html
2. Fix the options in the right box as shown in the figure below. The height of the cannon can change by
dragging the plus sign. Then rotate the cannon so the angle is 0˚. The initial speed of the cannon must be set
to 0 m/s.

3. Adjust the height (y) of the cannon to 14 m. Click on the red button to release the cannonball from rest (Free
Fall).
4. Drag the timer meter (blue tool) to the final location of the ball to determine the time needed for the ball to
travel the vertical displacement. Record these values (displacement and time) on a data table.
5. Repeat step #3 and #4, decreasing the height by one until 1m height is reached.

Data
Complete the table to record your data. Calculate ½ t2 and record it in the last column.

y (m) t (s) ½ t2 (s2)

14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
Data analysis:
This section should include all graphs, analysis of graphs, and post laboratory calculations. State each
formula, and if necessary, identify the symbols used in the formula.

1. Using a spreadsheet software or using plotting paper, graph position (m) vs. time (s). Assign the
displacement to the vertical axis even though it is the independent variable in this investigation.
Scale the graph so it starts from position and time zero. Be sure to space out and label each axis.
Do not forget to title the graph.
2. Draw the best-fit curve. Describe the relationship between the variables according to the shape of
your graph.

3. Create a 2nd graph but this time graph the position vs. (½)time2. Draw the best-fit line using either a
spreadsheet software or a straight edge.
4. Calculate the slope and the intercept of the best fit straight line making sure to identify the points
from the line used for the slope calculation. Remember to show your work below and units of the
slope. What does the slope represent?

5. Write the equation that describe the mathematical relationship between the variables. How this
equation resembles equation #3 above? Explain.

6. Attach a photo of both graphs with this report.

Conclusion:

1. Did the acceleration of the cannonball change with time?

2. How do you compare the calculated acceleration value (the slope from step #4) to the acceleration due
to gravity, 9.8 m/s2?
3. Calculate the % error between the two values you obtained for g and the accepted value (g = 9.81 m/s2).
Show your work below.

Error Analysis
Thoroughly explain what the main sources of error are for this lab, and how you would correct them.