Ryan R.
Bringino September 12, 2024
STEM - 12A
Laboratory Report: Exploring the Influence of Mass on the Velocity of Free-Falling Object
Introduction
Free fall is defined as the motion of an object with only the gravitational force acting on it.
During this state, an object accelerates towards the surface of the Earth at a constant rate,
known as gravitational acceleration, which is approximately 9.81 m/s². In free fall, the object
experiences a constant increase in velocity as it descends, demonstrating a direct relationship
between time and speed. The experiment's goals were to discover more about free fall,
ascertain whether an object's mass or size affects its velocity, and compute the final time and
velocity of freely falling bodies—a measurement of a moving object's speed before it reaches
the ground.
Objectives
1. Determine the time of the freely falling bodies from a fixed height
2. Explore the effect of the mass of an object in freely falling objects
3. Determine the influence of gravitational force in freely falling objects
4. Compute for the final velocity of the freely falling object
Experiment Hypothesis
● The mass of an object does not affect the velocity of freely falling objects.
Materials
● Soccer Ball
● Tennis Ball
● Golf Ball
● Measuring Scale
● 8m Measuring Tape
● Stopwatch
Procedure
1. Measure the weight of the soccer, tennis, and golf ball using the measuring scale.
2. Convert the recorded weight of the balls into Newton using the formula
𝑁 = (𝑔/1000) 𝑥 9. 81.
3. Using the meter stick, place the ball three meters above the ground.
4. Drop the ball and track the time it take before it hits the ground using the stopwatch
5. Repeat the previous process with the other balls.
6. Tabulate the data recorded in a table
7. Compute for the final velocity of each ball
Results and Discussion
Recorded Data
Object Mass Initial Velocity Acceleration Time
Soccer Ball 430 grams 𝑉𝑖 = 0 𝑚/𝑠 𝑔 = 9. 8 𝑚/𝑠² 𝑡 = 0. 83𝑠
𝑁 = (𝑔/1000) 𝑥 9. 81
𝑁 = (430/1000) 𝑥 9. 81
= 4. 22𝑁
Tennis Ball 58.4 grams 𝑉𝑖 = 0 𝑚/𝑠 𝑔 = 9. 8 𝑚/𝑠² 𝑡 = 0. 86𝑠
𝑁 = (𝑔/1000) 𝑥 9. 81
𝑁 = (58. 4/1000) 𝑥 9. 81
= 0. 57𝑁
Golf Ball 46 grams 𝑉𝑖 = 0 𝑚/𝑠 𝑔 = 9. 8 𝑚/𝑠² 𝑡 = 0. 88𝑠
𝑁 = (𝑔/1000) 𝑥 9. 81
𝑁 = (46/1000) 𝑥 9. 81
= 0. 45𝑁
Computed Data
Object Mass Final Velocity Time
Soccer Ball 4.22N 8.13 m/s 0.83s
Tennis Ball 0.57N 8.43 m/s 0.86s
Golf Ball 0.45N 8.62 m/s 0.88s
Effect of Gravity in Freely Falling Objects
Any motion of a body in which the only force acting on it is gravity is called free fall. They
quicken due to gravity. Velocity is a measure of the speed and direction of motion, and
acceleration is a change in velocity.
Effect of Weight in the Velocity of Freely Falling Objects
Free falling bodies have zero weight, which implies that weight has no bearing on how a
body moves and that all bodies and things fall freely with the same acceleration regardless of
their size or weight. The experiment's outcome validates our hypothesis that the mass does not
influence the velocity of a freely falling object.
Errors in analysis were all due to random sources. They were due to the delayed or faulty
start of the timer, the accuracy of the recorded masses, and the precision of the position
measurement with the meter stick. However, each measurement required this viewing, and
displacement was defined as the difference between its position and the reference point.
Conclusion
Objects in free fall are only affected by gravity. Our experiment demonstrated that the mass
of an object does not affect its velocity throughout its fall. When falling from the same height and
in freefall, an object will have the same velocity. When air resistance is ignored, it is caused by
the earth's gravity.
References
Stadsvold, J. (2018, March 9). What is Free Fall? A Quick Lesson in Physics.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-free-fall-quick-lesson-physics-jenna-stadsvold?fbcli
d=IwY2xjawFQTOFleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHRW2MptmQcoyf7hkyQpgqcgxf5lAwQJF5yJc
orM2VC_UzaDW47annnFSqA_aem_BKfb_2RT0brMJDmSDWjjYw
Lumen Learning. (n.d.). Falling Objects | Physics.
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-physics/chapter/2-7-falling-objects/
NASA Glenn Research Center. (2022, July 21). Motion of Free Falling Object | Glenn Research
Center | NASA. Glenn Research Center | NASA.
https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/beginners-guide-to-aeronautics/motion-of-free-falling-object/
