Group No: Expt.

No: 03

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Acceleration due to gravity

2 cm
1 cm

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3

Name:
Expt. No.:
Group No:
Date: 2018.06.05
Date: 2018.06.05

Expt. No.: 03

Expt. Name: Determining the Acceleration due to Gravity

Name:

Abstract:

The object of this experiment is to determine the value of the acceleration of gravity by measuring
the rate of acceleration of two similar size of freely falling balls with different mass. In addition,
there will be able to compare kinematic theory with experiment for constantly accelerated motion.

In the basic free fall experiment, a steel ball is clamped into the spring-loaded release mechanism.
The ball is in series with the triggering circuit for the photogate timer. When the thumbscrew is
turned, the mechanism pops open, releasing the ball and starting the timer. When the ball strikes
the receptor pad, the top plate of the pad is forced against the metal base. This automatically stops
the timer. The timer display shows the time it took for the ball to drop from the release mechanism
to the pad. A steel ball was dropped from various heights (h) and its fall times (t) measured. Data
were fitted to an equation of the form: y = mx graph. From the value of slope of the graph, the
experimental value for the acceleration of gravity (g) was equal to 9.97 𝑚𝑠-2 was concluded.

Materials & Equipment:

• Data collection system

• Free Fall Adapter
• Digital adapter
• Steel balls
• Multi clamp
• Large base and support rod
• Metric stick
Introduction:

Over twenty-two centuries ago, a Greek philosopher and scientist named Aristotle proposed that
there is a natural force that causes heavy objects to fall toward the center of Earth. He called this
force “gravity”. In the seventeenth century, the English scientist Isaac Newton was able to show
that gravity is a universal force that extends beyond Earth. It is the force that causes the moon to
orbit the Earth and the Earth to orbit the Sun.

When an object is in “free fall”, the only force acting on it is the force of gravity. As an object falls
freely, it accelerates. For a falling object near the surface of Earth, the rate of change of velocity
is a constant value. This value is the acceleration due to gravity. If you ignore air resistance, a
falling ball accelerates as if it is in free fall. Free fall adapter was used to measure the motion of
the falling ball to find the value of the acceleration due to gravity.

Theory:

The kinetic equation relating position (X) and time (t) of an object moving at constant
acceleration (a) is given as function of time (t) as follows;

1
𝑋(𝑡) = 𝑋𝑜 + 𝑉𝑜 𝑡 + 𝑎𝑡 2 ------------- (1)
2

Where, 𝑉 o is the initial velocity, Xo is the initial position.

When an object is dropped from a height (h) and the time taken to fall the object to ground (time
of fall) is t, the following equation can be deducted from equation (1).

1
h= 2
𝑔𝑡 2 ------------- (2)

where, g is the acceleration due to gravity. Now the plot h Vs. t2 of equation (2) is a straight line. By
graphically calculating the slope (m), the acceleration due to gravity (g) cab be calculated.

1 h/m
h= 2
𝑔 𝑡2

1
y=mx m = 2𝑔

g = 2m

(0,0) T2/s2
Procedure:

The freefall adapter was attached to the lab stand and rod using the multi clamp. The freefall
adapter landing pad was placed directly under the drop mechanism. The height of the drop
mechanism above the landing pad was set to approximately 10 cm. The data collection system
was configured to measure time of fall using the freefall adapter. Time of fall was displayed in a
digit’s display. Data recording was started. The steel ball was placed and held in the drop
mechanism against the contact screw, then the dowel pin was pushed against the flat metal clasp
pinching the steel ball in place. The small thumbscrew was tightened to lock the dowel pin and
steel ball in place. The meter stick was used to measure the distance from the top of the landing
pad to the bottom of the steel ball in the drop mechanism. Distance value was recorded. The
thumbscrew on the drop mechanism was loosen. The time of fall value from the data collection
system was recorded. The height of the drop mechanism above the landing pad was adjusted to be
approximately 20 cm higher. The steps were repeated for six different heights.
Readings:

Table 1: Height and time of fall of data

h / cm t/ s
10 0.14
20 0.2
30 0.25
40 0.29
50 0.33
60 0.36

h - Distance between the top of the landing pad to the bottom of the steel ball

t - Time of fall

Data analysis: Table 2: Manipulated data

h/m t/ s t2/ s2
0.10 0.14 0.0196
0.20 0.2 0.0400
0.30 0.25 0.0625
0.40 0.29 0.0841
0.50 0.33 0.1089
0.60 0.36 0.1296

Center of gravity of the data points,

∑𝑁
𝑖=0 𝑥𝑖 ∑𝑁
𝑖=0 𝑦𝑖
G ≡ (𝑥̅ = , 𝑦̅ = )
𝑁 𝑁

G ≡ ( 0.0741 s2 , 0.35 m )
Gradient of the graph by choosing two data points,

A ≡ ( 𝑥𝐴 , 𝑦𝐴 ) ≡ ( 0.0265 s2 , 0.136 m )

B ≡ ( 𝑥𝐵 , 𝑦𝐵 ) ≡ ( 0.123 s2 , 0.560 m )

𝑦𝐵 − 𝑦𝐴 0.560 m − 0.136 m
Gradient = ( ) = (0.123 𝑠2 − 0.0265 𝑠2 ) = 4.39 𝑚𝑠-2
𝑥𝐵 − 𝑥𝐴

Acceleration due to gravity (g) = 2m = 2 × 4.39 𝑚𝑠-2 = 8.79 𝑚𝑠-2

Error calculation:

Gradient of the maximum best fit line;

𝐴𝑚𝑎𝑥 ≡ ( 𝑥𝐴 𝑚𝑎𝑥 , 𝑦𝐴 𝑚𝑎𝑥 ) ≡ ( 0.033 s2 , 0.160 m )

𝐵𝑚𝑎𝑥 ≡ ( 𝑥𝐵 𝑚𝑎𝑥 , 𝑦𝐵 𝑚𝑎𝑥 ) ≡ ( 0.1275 s2 , 0.592 m )

𝑦𝐵 − 𝑦𝐴 0.592 m − 0.160 m
Gradient 𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑥 = ( ) = (0.1275 𝑠2 − ) = 4.57 𝑚𝑠-2
𝑥𝐵 − 𝑥𝐴 0.033 𝑠 2

Acceleration due to gravity (g) = 2m = 2 × 4.57 𝑚𝑠-2 = 9.14 𝑚𝑠-2

Gradient of the minimum best fit line;

𝐴𝑚𝑖𝑛 ≡ ( 𝑥𝐴𝑚𝑖𝑛 , 𝑦𝐴𝑚𝑖𝑛 ) ≡ ( 0.0225 s2 , 0.120 m )

𝐵𝑚𝑖𝑛 ≡ ( 𝑥𝐵𝑚𝑖𝑛 , 𝑦𝐵𝑚𝑖𝑛 ) ≡ ( 0.115 s2 , 0.532 m )

𝑦𝐵 − 𝑦𝐴 0.532 m − 0.120 m
Gradient 𝑚𝑚𝑖𝑛 = ( ) = (0.115 𝑠2 − ) = 4.45 𝑚𝑠-2
𝑥𝐵 − 𝑥𝐴 0.0225 𝑠 2

Acceleration due to gravity (g) = 2m = 2 × 4.45 𝑚𝑠-2 = 8.90 𝑚𝑠-2

𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑥 − 𝑚𝑚𝑖𝑛 4.57−4.45

Uncertainty in slope (𝛿m) = ( )=( ) = 0.06 𝑚𝑠-2
2 2

Uncertainty in acceleration due to gravity (𝛿g) = 4 × (𝛿m)2 = 0.01 𝑚𝑠-2

There are at most two significant digits in the slope, based on the uncertainty. So,
Acceleration due to gravity, = (8.79 ± 0.01 𝑚𝑠-2

Conclusion:

In conclusion, after the lab there have understood more on free fall including the theory, formula
and the applications. Hence, this lab is proved very helpful to understand free fall. Besides that,
there have also learned that when an object falls under the influence of gravity, its velocity
increases at a regular pace and the average of this pace is known as g = 9.8 𝑚𝑠-2 . However,
when an object experience free fall in a vacuum, its acceleration will be the same.

It is proved when free fall was demonstrated by astronaut David Scott where he simultaneously
released a hammer and a feather from the same height. The hammer and the feather both fell at
the same rate and hit the ground at the same time. This demonstrated Galileo’s discovery that in
the absence of air resistance, all objects experience the same acceleration due to gravity.

Acceleration due to gravity, = (9.78 ± 0.05 𝑚𝑠-2

Standard value = 9.81 𝑚𝑠-2

Discussion:

During the experiment, the result obtained may not 100% accurate due to some errors. The error
could be due to several factors. First of all, the object which is the steel ball wobbles (shake) as it
falls down. It actually already begins to wobble at the beginning before it even starts to fall, but
these wobbles grow more often as it is falling down due to the presence of the air resistance.
Besides that, during the fall, the ball sometimes did not fall exactly on the receptor pad but it bumps
into the pole and wire or other places. Furthermore, the times itself sometime did not function well,
it sometimes does not show the reading of the fall times, these situations make the experiment to
be repeated for a several times. Hence, the combined effect of all these problems during the
experiment cause a fluctuation of the data points.

Besides that, the magnitude of mass and radius of the steel balls might not 100% accurate when
the measurement been done. It is because when measuring the balls on weight measurer, the ball
will roll on it, so the machine is unable to read the correct mass of the ball. At the same time, there
are some problems when reading the diameter of the balls using the vernier calipers.

In addition, the retort stands not high enough to measure the distance of 100.0 cm. Hence, we must
place a thick book under the retort stand so that the distance of 100.0 cm can be measured. Besides
that, the apparatus which is not in good condition also gives problem during the experiment. The
release plate is loose and not tight, so is a bit difficult to fit the ball into it. At the same time, while
we are adjusting the ball, the timer will be start counting, this will affect the fall times.

Hence, there are few suggestions to improve the quality of the experiment. First of all, to avoid air
friction that will affect the acceleration of the ball, the experiment can be done in air tight condition
such as in a vacuum. Besides that, the apparatus should be in a good condition so that there will
no error during the experiment.
DATA SHEET

DATE : 2018.06.05

STUDENT’S NAME :

EXPT. NO. & TITLE: 03. Determining the Acceleration due to Gravity

GROUP NO. :

PARTNER’S NAMES :

Readings
Table 1: Height and time of fall of data
h / cm t/ s
10 0.14
20 0.2
30 0.25
40 0.29
50 0.33
60 0.36

h - Distance between the top of the landing pad to the bottom of the steel ball

t - Time of fall