PHYS 170 - M07L

Motion of an Object in Freefall Lab Report

Date of Lab Performance: October 19, 2015

Date of Submission: October 26, 2015

General Physics I Laboratory

Prof. Chad Andrade

Motion of an Object in Freefall

Objective

To calculate the acceleration due to gravity on earth, g, using ticker tape and a ticker tape timer.

Theory
The acceleration due to gravity, g, is the rate at which an object under the sole influence of

gravity accelerates. In this laboratory exercise, the value of g will be calculated using a ticker

tape timer setup. The ticker tape timer is a device through which ticker tape is threaded. An

object of arbitrary mass is then attached to an end of the ticker tape, and the mass is allowed to

freely fall, under the influence of gravity. The aerodynamics involving the shape of the object,

along with the air resistance that occurs is negligible, since this laboratory exercise uses a

simplified, ideal model, ignoring these effects.

In order to calculate velocity v based on displacement Δ xthat took place over time Δt , the

following formula was used:

Δx
v=
Δt

The above formula produces a quantity with units m/s, which are the units for velocity.

In order to calculate the acceleration due to gravity, g, based on the instantaneous velocityv, at

time tthe following formula was used:

v
g=
t

The calculated value of g would likely deviate from the accepted value by some degree, so in

order to calculate the percent difference between the calculated and accepted values of g, thus

quantifying the error with the measurements made, the following formula was used:

PD=¿ ( m 2−m1 ) ÷(( m2 +m 1 )/2)

In the above formula, m1 and m2 represent the two measurements, and PD represents the percent

difference between the two measurements.

In order to calculate the percent error between the measured and accepted values of g, the

following formula was used:

 %Error = [|(accepted - measured)| / (accepted) ] * (100)

In the above formula, 9.81m/s2 was used as the accepted value, and the measured value was

computed and used in the above equation.

Equipment

● Ticker Tape

○ The ticker tape was used to acquire

distance measurements induced by the

acceleration due to gravity acting on

the mass.

● Ticker Tape Timer (Figure 1)

○ The ticker tape timer imprinted dots

along the body of the ticker tape at

regular time intervals. The distances

between these dots was then used to calculate g.

● Ruler

○ The ruler was used to measure the distances between the dots along the ticker

tape.

● Mass

○ The mass was used as the object upon which the effects of gravity were observed.

The ticker tape itself could not be used for this purpose, as the observed effects of

air resistance would likely overshadow the effects of gravity on the tape.
Procedure

A ticker tape timer was first positioned and maintained an arbitrary distance above ground.

Ticker tape was then threaded through the ticker tape timer, and an object of arbitrary mass was

attached to one end of the ticker tape. The ticker tape timer was then activated, and the object of

arbitrary mass, attached to the end of a piece of ticker tape of arbitrary length, was allowed to fall

freely to the floor. As the object fell, it pulled the ticker tape along with it, and the ticker tape

timer imprinted holes into the tape at regular time intervals, at a speed of 10 imprints per second.

Once the object of arbitrary mass m had fallen to the floor, the ticker tape timer was put off, and

the tape on which the timer imprinted dots was retrieved. The dots on the ticker tape were fairly

inconspicuous, so in order to better view each of the dots for measurements, a bold marker was

used to place clear indicators of where each dot was located. The use of a thick marker to

indicate the locations of the dots introduced a source of error into the laboratory exercise: when

measuring, the beginning of the ruler was haphazardly placed on the dot’s mark, which had a

fairly large diameter, as opposed to the precise location of the imprinted dot on the tape. The

distances between each dot, denoted by Δ x, were then measured and recorded in Table 1, along

with the appropriate error.

The distances from the first dot, made at time t=0.0 s, to each individual dot, imprinted at time t,

for each of the intervals, were then calculated. This was done by adding the length of each

interval to the sum of those that preceded it. The results, along with the appropriate error were

then recorded in Table 2. The time, t, measured from time t=0.0 s to the time of each individual

dot on the ticker tape, was then squared, and also recorded in Table 2.
The instantaneous velocity at various times t throughout freefall was then determined by

assigning the average velocity of an interval, a quantity already measured and recorded in Table

1, to the total distance the object had traveled half way through the total time of that interval.

1
Since the time for each interval was 0.1 s, and ( 0.1 s)=0.5 s, the time values that were used for
2

instantaneous velocity calculations were determined by simply subtracting 0.5 s from the total

elapsed time for the specific interval.

Analysis

Distance vs Time Graph

The graph distance vs time was curved. Using Microsoft Excel, the slope of the graph of distance

vs time was found by drawing a secant line connecting two points on the graph, which also

served as the line of best fit. As time increased, distance increased. The slope of the line was

found increase as time increased. The slope of the line tangent to any point on the distance vs

time curve is the value of the instantaneous velocity of the object at that particular time. This

means that the velocity was increasing with time as well as the displacement, which means that

the object had a nonzero acceleration.

Distance vs Time Squared Graph

The graph distance vs time squared was curved. Using Microsoft Excel, the slope of the graph of

distance vs time squared was found by drawing a secant line connecting two points on the graph,

which also served as the line of best fit. As the value of time squared increased, the distance

increased. The slope of the line was found to be 1.39m/s2, and the R2 value was found to be

0.9583, which indicates that the regression line accounts for approximately 96% of the variation

between the two variables.

Instantaneous Velocity vs Time Graph

The graph of instantaneous velocity vs time had a linear and increasing; as time increased, the

instantaneous velocity increased.

In order to calculate the acceleration due to gravity, based on the velocity vs time graph, the

slope m of the line of best fit was computed, based on the coordinates t 1 , t 2 , v 1∧v 2 of an arbitrary
point on the line. Since the line of best fit was a straight line, and not a curve, the slope was

constant throughout.

y 2− y 1
m=
x 2−x 1

v 2−v 1
¿
t 2−t 1

3.6 m/s−0.2 m/s

=
0.45 s−0.05 s

≈ 8.5 m/s 2

Thus the acceleration due to gravity, g, was found to equal to 8.5 m/s 2.

Because acceleration is defined as the change in velocity over time, it was reasonable to

conclude that dividing the y-axis by the x-axis of the graph of velocity vs time would produce a

quantity with units equal to m/s 2, the units for acceleration.

The R2 value obtained from the linear regression line, 0.9987 indicates that approximately 100%

of the variation between instantaneous velocity on time explained by the regression line. This is a

good indicator that the line is an accurate representation of the relationship between the two

variables instantaneous velocity and time.

Calculations

Calculating Δt

The ticker tape used in this experiment made 10 imprints onto the tape each second. If the first

imprint took place at time t=0.0 s and the last imprint took place at time t=1.0 s, then there

would be a total of 10 intervals on the tape. In order to find the amount of time between the
beginning and ending of each interval, that is the time per interval, denoted by Δt , the total time

t was divided by the total number of intervals:

t
Δt=
number of intervals

1.0 s s
¿ =¿ 0.1
10intervals interval

s
¿ 0.1
interval

Therefore, the amount of time it took the ticker tape timer to imprint a second hole on the ticker

tape, thus completing an interval, is equal to 0.1s.

Calculating Average Velocity Over Each Interval

In order to calculate the average velocities recorded in Table 1, the distance of each interval, Δ x,

was divided by the time for each interval, Δt , producing a value with units m/s, the units for

velocity:

Δx
v avg=
Δt

0.02m
¿
0.1 s

¿ 0.2 m/s

Thus, the average velocity over the first interval was found to be 0.2m/s. The above calculation

was performed for all six intervals. The average velocity for the second interval was found to be

1.1m/s, the average velocity for the third interval was found to be 1.8m/s, the average velocity for

the fourth interval was found to be 2.7m/s, the average velocity for the fifth interval was found to

be 3.6m/s, and the average velocity for the sixth interval was found to be 4.5m/s.
Calculating the Absolute Error of Average Velocity Calculations

In order to calculate the error associated with average velocity calculations, Δ C, the following

formula was used:

ΔC=C ( ΔAA + ΔBB )

Where C is the value of the average velocity, Δ Ais the error associated with the displacement

measurements, A, is the displacement, Δ Bis the error associated with the time measurement, and

B is the specific time measurement. For the first interval, the error associated with the average

velocity calculation was found to be:

ΔC=C × ( ΔAA + ΔBB )

¿ 0.2 m/s × ( 0.0005 m 0
0.02 m 0.1 s )
+

=0.005 m/ s

Since the time values were a given quantity, they can be thought of as having negligible error.

For this reason, the absolute error of the time value was set to zero, demonstrated in the second

line of the above computation. According to the calculation, the error associated with the

velocity calculation for the first interval is equal to ± 5× 10−3 m/s. The above calculation was

performed for all intervals and the error associated with all velocity calculations was found to

equal ± 5× 10−3 m/s.

Calculating Instantaneous Velocity at Specific Times

Given the average velocity of an object over a time interval, the instantaneous velocity v is found

by mapping the average velocity to half of the total time it takes to travel over the distance Δ x.
Thus, the instantaneous velocity of the cart at time t is equal to the total elapsed time minus half

of the time for the specific interval, the latter of which is equal to 0.5 s for each interval:

t=( total elapsed time)−0.05 s

The instantaneous velocity v half way through the 1st interval, at time t=( 1.0 s)−0.05 s=0.05 s

was found to be 0.2m/s.

The above calculation was performed for all intervals. The instantaneous velocity v half way

through the 2nd interval, at time t=0.15 s was found to be 1.1m/s, v half way through the 3rd

interval, at time t=0.25 s was found to be 1.8m/s, v half way through the 4th interval, at time

t=0.35 s was found to be 2.7m/s, v half way through the 5th interval, at time t=0.45 s, was

found to be 3.6m/s, and v half way through the 6th interval, at time t=0.55 s was found to be 4.5

m/s. Because the instantaneous velocity calculations in Table 3 were essentially the same as the

average velocity calculations in Table 1, the error associated with the former is equal to

5 ×10−3 m/s , the same absolute error associated with each of the values for the average velocity

calculations in Table 1.

Calculating Acceleration Due to Gravity

In order to calculate the acceleration due to gravity, the slope m of the line of best fit of the

velocity vs time graph was computed, based on the coordinates t 1 , t 2 , v 1∧v 2 of an arbitrary point

on the line. Since the line of best fit was a straight line, and not a curve, the slope was constant

throughout.

y 2− y 1
m=
x 2−x 1
 v 2−v 1
¿
t 2−t 1

3.6 m/s−0.2 m/s

=
0.45 s−0.05 s

≈ 8.5 m/s 2

Thus the acceleration due to gravity, g, was found to equal to 8.5 m/s 2.

Because acceleration is defined as the change in velocity over time, it was reasonable to

conclude that dividing the y-axis by the x-axis of the graph of velocity vs time would produce a

quantity with units equal to m/s 2, the units for acceleration.

Calculating the Absolute Error in Acceleration

In order to calculate the absolute error in acceleration, the following formula was used:

Δ A= A ( ΔBB + ΔCC )
Where Δ Ais the error in the calculated value of g, the acceleration due to gravity, A is the

calculated value of the acceleration due to gravity, Δ Bis the error in the velocity value used for

the calculation, Bis the velocity value used, Δ Cis the error the time value used, and Cis the time

value used. Because the time value used in this calculation was given, it is assumed that the time

value has negligible error. For this reason, the term in the above equation representing the

ΔC
relative error of time, , can be canceled out. This leaves:
C

Δ A= A ( ΔBB )
Substituting in the values of Δ A, A, Δ B, and B, the following computation was made:
Δ A= A ( ΔBB )
2 5 ×10−3 m/s
¿( 8.5 m/ s )×( )
3.6 m/s

¿ 0.012 m/s 2

Thus, the error in the calculation of the acceleration due to gravity, Δ A,is equal to ± 0.012 m/ s2.

Calculating the Percentage Difference in Acceleration

The true value of acceleration due to gravity, to three significant figures, is 9.81m/s 2. The

calculated value deviated significantly from this value, and so in order to calculate the percent

difference between the two, the following formula was used:

PD=¿ ( m 2−m1 ) ÷(( m2 +m 1 )/2)

= [(9.81m/s2−¿8.5m/s2) ÷ ((9.81m/s2 + 8.5m/s2)¿2)] * 100

= 14.2%

Calculating the Percent Error

In order to calculate the percent error of the calculated value of g, the following formula was

used:

%Error = [|(accepted - measured)| / (accepted) ] * (100)

= [|(9.81m/s2 - 8.5m/s2)| / (9.81m/s2) ] * (100)

= 13.4%

Thus, the percent error was found to be 13.4%.

Discussion

When calculating the error associated with the average velocity calculations, the absolute error of

the time was assumed to be zero. Because the time values were given, it was assumed that they

have negligible absolute error.

When measuring the distances of each interval, it was observed that the length of each interval

after the first was greater than the one preceding it; Δ x went from 0.02m in the first interval, to

0.11m in the second, to 0.18m in the third, to 0.27m in the fourth, to 0.36m in the fifth, to 0.45m

in the sixth. This steady increase in displacement was indicative of the fact that this free falling

object did have some nonzero velocity. Further investigation reveals that the object’s velocity

increases by approximately 8.5 m/s every second indicating that the object has a nonzero

acceleration as well.

One source of error stems from the friction induced by the ticker ticker tape coming into contact

with the ticker tape timer as it was being fed into the timer, and as the mass fell to the floor. As

the ticker tape was being fed through the ticker tape timer, and the mass fell to the floor under

the effects of gravity, the tape rubbed against the body of the timer, which induced a certain level

of friction between the tape and the timer. This friction produced by the tape rubbing against the

body of the timer might have slowed the rate of descent of the mass, which would consequently

affect the measured acceleration of the mass due to gravity. One precaution taken included lifting

the ticker tape from the body of the ticker tape timer as the mass and tape descended to the

floor.This way, the points of contact between the ticker tape and the body of the ticker tape timer

were reduced significantly, thus reducing, but not completely eliminating, the systematic error

induced by friction.
Another source of error was the friction induced by the ticker tape coming into contact with

human skin. In order to ensure a smooth feeding of the ticker tape into the ticker tape timer, the

tape was held above the timer by a human hand, as the mass fell to the floor. The coefficient of

friction, μ, between the skin on a human hand and the cellulose material of which the ticker tape

was made is greater than 1. For this reason, the rate of descent of the object was slowed, and the

friction between the human hand and the tape was a source of error.

Another source of error stemmed from the diameter of the marker marks placed over the dots

imprinted on the ticker tape. The dots imprinted on the ticker tape were fairly inconspicuous, and

so in order to better view each of the dots, a thick marker was used to mark each of them on the

body of the tape. The markings made at each dot were circular, and had diameters greater than

1 cm. Consequently, the measured distances between each point varied according to the specific

placement of the beginning of the ruler on the dot’s mark, and the particular placement of the end

of the ruler on the mark of the second dot.

Another source of error stemmed from the weight of the ticker tape as the mass fell to the floor.

Although the ticker tape has negligible mass in the ideal model used in this experiment, in

principle, if the ticker tape is long enough, the weight of the ticker tape on the other side of the

ticker tape timer, as the mass fell to the floor, might have drastically affected the rate of descent,

and consequently, the acceleration of the object in freefall.

In order to improve upon the procedure of this laboratory exercise, multiple measurements could

be taken, as opposed to just one iteration of the ticker tape through the ticker tape timer. In this
exercise, the ticker tape attached to a mass was dropped through the timer only once, and the

distances between the dots were measured and recorded afterwards. Repeated measurements

using the ticker tape could have been made in order to account for the inherent variability of the

measurements, otherwise known as the statistical, or random, error.

Another potential improvement that could be made to the laboratory exercise, that would lead to

a more precise measurement of the acceleration of the falling body would be the use of

photogates, instead of a ticker tape timer and ticker tape. The use of multiple photogates set up in

a vertical, consecutive orientation would allow the position at various times to be more precisely

recorded, since the photogates, connected to a timer, use light beams to determine the position of

the falling body at specific points in time. The use of vertical photogates would be a significant

improvement over the use of ticker tape and a ticker tape timer, because the photogates are

completely electrical, whereas the ticker tape timer has a mechanical component to it that serves

the purpose of punching holes in the ticker tape. The purely electrical nature of a measurement

setup based entirely on the use of photogates would allow the more precise determination of the

position of the falling body at various times. This would allow the velocity and acceleration to

then be computed using more precise position measurements, which would lead to more precise

graphs, data, and results. The use of photogates would also eliminate the error caused by the

friction between the ticker tape and the ticker tape timer, since the object would be allowed to

fall freely, with nothing attached to it.

According to the results of this laboratory exercise and based on the air-resistance-free model

used, it was determined that the mass of an object does not affect its acceleration due to gravity
on earth; in this idealized model, ignoring the effects of air resistance, it was found that the

acceleration due to gravity g of any given object is independent of its mass m.

Conclusion

In this laboratory exercise, the acceleration due to gravity on earth, g, was calculated to be

8.5 m/s 2with a percent error of 13.4% and a percent difference of 14.2% from the accepted value

of g, 9.81 m/s 2. Because a simplified, ideal model was used in this experiment, several of the

facets of more realistic freefall motion, including air resistance and the aerodynamics involving

the shape of the object, were ignored. The relatively large error values acquired and the fact that

an ideal model was used both contribute to the limitations of the findings of this laboratory

exercise. However, several sources of error were identified, and various methods through which

the exercise could be improved were recommended, along with the precautions taken.
 Works Cited

Acceleration from Tape Timer Measurements. (2013). Retrieved October 26, 2015, from

http://schools.bvsd.org/p12/MonarchHigh/teachers/PeterShannon/Shared

Documents/PHYSICS 2010-2011/Unit 1 Chapter 2 One Dimensional

Motion/Physics Lab Ticker Tape Free Fall 8-26-10.PDF