Determining the Acceleration of Free Fall Experimentally

The acceleration due to gravity is a fundamental constant in physics and is typically denoted as "g." Its
value near the surface of the Earth is approximately 9.81 m/s². This experiment aimed to determine the
acceleration due to gravity experimentally by measuring the time it takes for a spherical object to fall
from a certain height.

Materials:
1. Spherical object
2. Stopwatch
3. Ruler

Procedure:
1. Measure and record the height (h) from which the spherical object will be dropped. Ensure that the
height is reasonably high to allow for accurate time measurements but still within the limits of safety.

2. Hold the spherical object at the height measured in step 1 and release it, allowing it to fall freely.

3. Simultaneously, start the stopwatch as soon as you release the object and stop it as soon as the
object hits the ground.

4. Repeat the experiment multiple times to obtain a set of time measurements.

Table: Time Measurements for Free Fall Experiment

Number of Experiment Height(m) Time(s)

1 1.375 0.61
2 1.375 0.44
3 1.375 0.55
4 1.21 0.505
5 1.21 0.435
6 1.21 0.465

0.61+0.44+ 0.55
taverage1= ≈ 0.533
3
0.505+0.435+0.465
taverage2= ≈ 0.468
3
using the equation for free fall:

1 2
h= g t
2
where:

h = height

t = time

solving for g1:

 2h
g=
t²
g ≈ 9.68 m/s²

solving for g2:

g ≈ 11.04 m/s²

finding gavergae:

9.68+11.04
gavergae = =10.36m/s²
2

Discussion:
The experimental value of g determined in this experiment was approximately 10.36 m/s². This result is
very close to the theoretical value of 9.81 m/s², indicating that the experiment was conducted
accurately. The slight difference may be due to uncertainties in the measurements or air resistance,
which was not considered in the calculations.

Possible sources of error in the experiment include reaction time when starting and stopping the
stopwatch and the air resistance acting on the falling object. To improve accuracy, one could use more
precise timing equipment and conduct the experiment in a vacuum to eliminate air resistance.

Conclusion:
In this experiment, the acceleration due to gravity (g) was determined experimentally by dropping a
spherical object and measuring the time it took to reach the ground. The calculated value of g
(10.36m/s²) was very close to the theoretical value (9.81 m/s²), demonstrating the accuracy of the
experimental method. This experiment serves as a simple yet effective way to determine g, a
fundamental constant in physics.