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Physics Experiment

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Submitted By vosowska
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OBJECTIVE The goal of this experiment was to demonstrate the acceleration of a free-falling object which is imposed by gravity.
PROCEDURE
We began this experiment by taking a long strip of paper approximately 3 centimeters in width and 1 meter in length and properly inserting it into the vibrating apparatus. Holding the paper in place, we then adjusted the machine’s setting to 40 hertz per second. By doing so, the machine vibrates – resulting in a marking on the paper – 40 times per second. After adjusting the machine to the proper settings, we attached a weight with a clip to the edge of the paper sticking out of the opening in the apparatus. Making sure that the weight hangs over the edge of the table, we released the paper resulting in a set of markings on the paper. In order to account for the change in velocity, which in turn will be used to calculate as the acceleration, we omitted the first few points and began to measure the distance between each four point interval (i.e. point 1 to point 5) on the paper. The reason for measuring this distance is that it accounts for 0.1 of a second. We tabulated the measurements then began calculating the average velocity by dividing the total distance between the points by 0.1 second. After calculating the various velocities, we calculated acceleration by finding the change in velocity between the velocity at time 3 and at time 7, again in the same intervals so as to use 0.1 second as the denominator for the change in time. Finally we calculated the average acceleration by adding up the previously calculated accelerations and divided by 4.
UNDERLYING THEORY The theory underlying this experiment is based upon Newton’s second law of motion. If an object has a net external force, then this object will accelerate. In this experiment we are trying to show that the universally accepted value (9.8 m/s2) of acceleration attributed to the force gravity holds true.
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
POINTS DISTANCE (CM) TIME (SECONDS) VELOCITY (CM/S)
1-5 12.3 0.1 V3=123
2-6 14.7 0.1 V4=147
3-7 17 0.1 V5=170
4-8 19.3 0.1 V6=193
5-9 21.5 0.1 V7=215
6-10 23.8 0.1 V8=238
7-11 26 0.1 V9=260
8-12 28.4 0.1 V10=284
WHERE VX = ΔD / ΔT
CALCULATIONS
G = ΔV / ΔT
G = (V7 – V3)¬ / 0.1 SEC =( 215 M/S – 123 M/S)/ 0.1 SEC = 920 M/S2
G = (V8 – V4)¬ / 0.1 SEC =( 238 M/S – 147 M/S)/ 0.1 SEC = 910 M/S2
G = (V9 – V5)¬ / 0.1 SEC =( 260 M/S – 170 M/S)/ 0.1 SEC = 900 M/S2
G = (V10 – V6)¬ / 0.1 SEC =( 284 M/S – 193 M/S)/ 0.1 SEC = 910 M/S2
GAVG = (920 + 910 + 900 +910) / 4 = 910 M/S2

PERCENTAGE ERROR
% ERROR = 980 – 910 / 910 = 0.07 = 7%

CONCLUSION As a result of the data collected along with the calculations and an error percentage under 10%, this experiment demonstrates Newton’s second law of motion. It shows the force which gravity imposes on a free falling object. It also confirms that the force of gravity results in a 9.8 m/s2 acceleration.

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