Motion in the Y-direction: Free-Fall

Vinh Kiem Huynh

Experiment conducted on September 1st, 2016
Due date: September 8th, 2016
University Physics I (PY1404LC FA16)
Instructor: Dr. Saurav Chandra

Part 1: Picket Fence Free Fall

Introduction
Objective:
The objective of this lab is to measure the acceleration of a freely falling body by using a
Photogate and a Picket Fence
Method:
Drop a Picket Fence (a piece of clear plastic with evenly spaced black bars on it) and use a
Photogate to measure the velocity and acceleration of the free falling Picket Fence. Actions are
repeated 6 times to get a more accurate result.
Results:
The acceleration varies from 9.669 m/s2 to 9.744 m/s2 when the Picket Fence falls.

Experimental procedure
1/ Description of apparatus:
The experiment has two main devices: a picket fence and a photogate.
+A photogate has a beam of infrared light that travels from one side to another. The photogate is
used to measure the velocity and acceleration of the picket fence.
+A Picket Fence is a plastic bar with evenly spaced black bars which will block the beam from
the photogate.

2/ Outline of technique:

I measured the acceleration due to gravity using the Photogate. The Picket Fence had bands with
5.0 cm length. The photogate detected whenever its beam from two edges was blocked. The
photogate then calculated the time from the leading edge of one bar blocking the bar until the
leading edge of the next bar blocked the beam. This timing went on and only stopped when all
eight bars passed through the Photogate. After collecting all measured blocked and unblocked
intervals, the program gave out the velocities and accelerations for the free falling Picket Fence
and graphs were drawn. Then I recorded the results into the USB from the Photogate.
I conducted 6 experiments to have a more accurate result by collecting all the data and finding
the average result.

Discussion
The results are as shown below

First trial

Second trial

Third trial

Fourth trial

Fifth trial

Sixth trial

DATA TABLE
Trial
Slope (m/s2)

1
9.704

Acceleration (m/s )

2
9.793

Minimum
9.704

Acceleration due to gravity, g

Precision

3
9.774

4
9.747

Maximum
9.793

5
9.711

6
9.715

Average
9.741

9.75 0.04
0.4%

Analysis:
The shape of the distance vs. time graphs for the free fall is half upward parabola,
while the shape of the velocity vs. time graphs is diagonal linear. The shape of the
acceleration vs. time graphs is
It is concluded that the velocity vs. time graphis is the slope of the distance vs.
time graph. The final acceleration 9.75 m/s2 found in the experiment is

approximately in accordance with the most common used g=9.8 m/2. The result
complies with the fact that different places on Earth gives different accelerations.
Errors:
The systematic errors occurrs due to uncertainties in the measurements as (1) black
bands are not evenly spaced to the exact significant numbers, (2) the limit in
computer-based timing system.
The random errors might come from (2) air resistance, (3) the slightly askew
ground leading to the Picket Fence dropped with small skew, (4) different height
giving different acceleration.
Conclusion
The acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.8 m/s2.

Part 2: Ball Toss

Introduction
Objective:
I collected distance, velocity and acceleration data of a ball travelling straight up and down, then
analyzed the distance vs. time, velocity vs. time, and acceleration vs. time graphs to find out the
best fit equations for the distance vs. time and velocity vs. time graphs. Finally, I got the mean
acceleration from the acceleration vs. time graph.
Method:
The experiment was run three times with different heights at which the ball was thrown.

Experimental procedure
1/ Description of apparatus:
The experiment has two main devices: a basketball and Vernier Motion Detector.

The experiment was conducted by throwing the basketball upwards while the Vernier Motion
Detector measured the balls position, velocity and acceleration.

Procedure
The Vernier Motion Detector was put on the floor. When the Motion Detector was ready, I tossed
the ball straight upward above the Vernier Motion Detector and caught the ball when it reached
the same height that I let go of my hands. These actions were repeated three times.

Discussion
The graphs collected from the Vernier Motion Detector are as shown below

The process of the ball being tossed but still in my hands is in the shaded region

The ball is in free fall

The ball was in free fall and moving upward from 0.5s till it reached its highest height then
moving downward from the rest of the shaded region.

Analysis
+The ball reached the biggest velocity of 1.8 m/s when it was released from my hands.

+The ball reached its peak at the height of 0.7 m above the ground when its velocity reached
zero.

+The balls acceleration was 9.892 m/s2 when reached its peak.

+The distance vs. time graph is a parabola with the coefficient of the x2 (-4.948) exactly the same
1
with 2 g (-4.946)

+The slope of the velocity during free fall was -9.911, which varied from g 0.19% (g as found
in the graph)

Errors
There are various factors that affect the experiments. When the ball was tossed, I inserted to the
ball a force that counter-balanced the gravitational force and made the ball moved upward. There
was a small interval where the balls acceleration is positive. When the ball left my hand, it was
under the effect of gravitational force, therefore quickly changed its acceleration to -9.9. The
balls acceleration was different from the the value for g might result from air resistance.