Assignment: Lab Free Fall Motion Lab
Free fall is the downward motion of an object when the only force acting on it is gravity.
In ideal free fall, objects accelerate downward at a constant rate called the acceleration due to gravity, represented by the symbol: g
On Earth, the acceleration due to gravity is approximately:
g = 9.81 m/s2
This means that, in the absence of air resistance, all objects fall at the same rate regardless of mass.
Distance equation:
s=1/2 gt^2
Where:
s = distance fallen (m)
g = acceleration due to gravity (m/s²)
t = time (s)
This equation allows us to calculate how far an object falls in a given time.
Part I: Calculating the Acceleration Due to Gravity
You are given data for an object falling the same distance on Earth, the Moon, and Mars. Use the data to calculate the acceleration due to gravity at each location. Show all of your calculations.
|
Environment
|
Distance S (m)
|
Time t (s)
|
Calculation (g=2s/t2)
|
|
Earth
|
10
|
1.43
|
|
|
Moon
|
10
|
3.51
|
|
|
Mars
|
10
|
2.32
|
|
Q1: Rank the three environments from strongest gravity to weakest gravity. Need Assignment Help?
Q2: For the same distance, on which location does the object fall the fastest?
Q3: If a planet had gravity larger than Earth's, would the falling time be shorter or longer?
Q4: In a vacuum, does the mass of the falling object affect its acceleration due to gravity?
Part II: Investigating Free Fall in a real-world situation
In ideal free fall, gravity is the only force acting on the object. However, in the real world, another force often affects falling motion: air resistance, which is a force that opposes motion through the air.
This means that in everyday life:
- not all objects appear to fall at the same rate
- shape and surface area can strongly affect motion
- lighter, flatter objects are often slowed more by the air
So although physics tells us that objects in free fall should accelerate equally, real-world conditions can make them behave differently.
Watch the video, then try the experiment yourselves using a textbook and a sheet of paper. Record your observations in the table and explain the difference between the two trails.
| Trial 1 |
Trail 2 |
Get a book and put a sheet of paper on top of it.
Drop the book and paper so that they hit the floor flat.
Record your observations. |
Take the same book in one hand and the paper in the other.
Hold book and paper at the same height.
Drop the book and paper simultaneously.
Record your observations. |
Observations:
Trial 1 Observation:
Trial 2 Observation:
Explanation of differences: