LAB 3 (VIRTUAL)

FREE FALL (MOTION WITH CONSTANT ACCELERATION)

AIM:
1. To understand the concept of velocity and uniform acceleration from the motion of a
freely falling object.
2. To plot graphs from simulated “free fall” data and to interpret those graphs.
3. To obtain value of gravitational acceleration, ‘g.’

Software to be used: Graphical AnalysisTM, is a free software that can be obtained at

https://www.vernier.com/product/graphical-analysis-4/

BACKGROUND:
For motion in one dimension, the words velocity and speed are often used interchangeably. To
be precise, speed is the magnitude of velocity. Velocity has magnitude as well as direction. In
one dimensional motion, the direction of the velocity is accounted for by a + or – sign. The
average speed of an object is the distance traveled during any time interval divided by the
duration of the time,
vave = ∆x/∆t.
Instantaneous speed is the speed at some specific time t, and is the speed obtained as t
approaches zero. In the graph below, the instantaneous speed is the slope of the tangent to the
distance vs time curve at some time t, and the average speed is the slope of the line between two
points on the graph.

Figure 1: Position vs. time graph showing the instantaneous speed at time to
Acceleration is the time rate of change of velocity, aave = ∆v/∆t. If an object which is moving in a
straight line undergoes equal changes in velocity in equal intervals of time, it is said to be
moving with uniform or constant acceleration. For constant acceleration, the average
acceleration is the same as the instantaneous acceleration. A constant net force on an object
produces constant acceleration. The earth’s force of gravity is nearly constant near the surface of
the earth. Therefore, objects moving only under the force of gravity will be uniformly
accelerated. The relationship between speed, time, and acceleration at two different points when
the object travels with constant acceleration is thus given by
v = vo + at Eq. 1
where v = velocity at time t and vo is its velocity at time t = 0, or the initial velocity.
Thus for uniform acceleration, there is linear relationship between speed and time, which means
that a speed versus time graph will be a straight line. The slope of that line is the acceleration ‘a,’
and the ‘v’ intercept is the initial speed, vo. When the speed varies linearly with time, the average
speed during any time interval is equal to the instantaneous speed at the midpoint of the time
interval.
The equation describing the position (x) of an object moving with uniform acceleration is
x = xo + vot + ½ at2 Eq. 2
where xo = initial position (m) of the object at time t = 0 s, vo = initial velocity (m/s), and a =
uniform acceleration (m/s2)

PROCEDURE:
1. If you have not done so already, download a free copy of the Graphical Analysis software at
https://www.vernier.com/product/graphical-analysis-4/

2. Review how to use the Graphical Analysis software. There are several YouTube videos on
how to use this software. Here is one that will get you going :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cxgw4j0a2d0. As with learning anything, the more you use it or
play with it, the more skillful you become, so explore its use as much as possible. It will come in handy.

3. The table below shows a simulated data of the position as a function of time for a ball in free
fall.
Time t (s) Position y (m)
1 0.05 0.04
2 0.1 0.10
3 0.15 0.19
4 0.2 0.30
5 0.25 0.44
 6 0.30 0.60
7 0.35 0.79
8 0.40 1.00
9 0.45 1.23
10 0.50 1.49
11 0.55 1.78
12 0.60 2.08
13 0.65 2.42
14 0.70 2.77
15 0.75 3.15
16 0.80 3.56
17 0.85 3.99
18 0.90 4.44
19 0.95 4.92
20 1.00 5.42
21 1.05 5.95
22 1.10 6.50
23 1.15 7.07
24 1.20 7.67
25 1.25 8.30
26 1.30 8.95
27 1.35 9.62
28 1.40 10.32
29 1.45 11.04
30 1.50 11.78

4. Enter the data from the table in the data table in Graphical Analysis.

ANALYSIS:
A: DISTANCE–TIME GRAPH:
1. Graphical Analysis will automatically plot the data for you. Follow the instructions from the
YouTube video and label your axes – distance, with units, m, on the y axis and time, with units,
s, on the x axis.
2. Using Graphical Analysis, do a quadratic curve fit. Compare the curve fit equation with Eq 2.
From the comparison, determine the initial velocity vo, and the acceleration ‘a’ of the falling
object.
3. Compare your acceleration with the acceleration due to gravity by doing a percent error
calculation.
B: INSTANTANEOUS SPEED VS. TIME GRAPH
1. At several (between 10 to 15) values of time ‘t’, determine the slope of the tangent to the
distance-time curve using the tangent function of Graphical Analysis. In general, slope means
rise/run. In this graph, rise is ‘distance’ and ‘run’ is time, so the physical quantity the slope of the
tangent line to the distance-time curve gives the instantaneous speed at the time “t” as seen from
Figure 1.
2. Make a v vs. t table and plot v (y axis) vs. t ( x axis). From equation 1, what kind of graphical
fit do you expect for a v vs. t graph?
3. Choose the appropriate curve fit, and obtain the initial speed vo, and the acceleration a from
the results of your curve fit.
In the two graphs, be sure to label appropriately with correct units.
The accepted value of ‘g’ = 9.8 m/s2 (980 cm/s2). Calculate your percent error. Also do a percent
difference between the initial speed obtained from the speed v. time graph and that obtained from
the position vs. time graph

FURTHER ANALYSIS
1. From the distance vs. time graph, pick any three consecutive times, t1, t2, and t3.
2. Find the average speed between t1 and t3, (x3 – x1)/(t3 – t1).
3. Compare the average speed obtained above with the instantaneous speed at t2, by doing a
percent difference calculation.
4. Repeat the process for another set of three equally separated times, by finding the average
speed between the two end point times and compare with the instantaneous speed at the mid-
point time.
What do you observe? Could you have used this method to obtain the instantaneous speed vs.
time graph?
For extra credit, make a new v vs. t graph using this method (you should show your steps in
your report) and obtain the initial speed and the acceleration, and compare with what you got
from the instantaneous speed vs. time obtained earlier by doing percent difference calculations.
QUESTIONS:
1. Rain clouds form at a height of about 2,000 m above the ground. Under “Free Fall”, why
would it be dangerous to walk outside when it rains? Back your answer with some basic
calculations.

2. If the object in the experiment had been given an initial downward push, would the value of
‘g’ be different? Explain.