Experiment to Measure Gravitational Acceleration by Dropping Objects from Different Heights

Introduction:

Gravitational acceleration is a fundamental constant that determines the rate at which objects fall towards the ground. In this experiment, we will measure the gravitational acceleration by dropping objects from different heights and timing their fall.

Materials:

Phyphox

Two identical objects

Stopwatch or timer

Measuring tape or ruler

Calculator

Procedure:

Set up the experiment in a safe location with enough space to drop the objects.

Measure the height from which the first object will be dropped (e.g. 1.03 meters) and record it.

Hold the object at the chosen height and start the timer as you release it.

Stop the timer as soon as the object hits the ground and record the time.

Repeat steps 2-4 two more times for a total of three trials at that height.

Calculate the average time for the three trials.

Repeat steps 2-6 for the second height (e.g. 0.5 meters).

Data:

Height 1: 1.03 meters

Trial 1: 0.459 seconds

Trial 2: 0.454 seconds

Trial 3: 0.461 seconds

Average time: 0.458 seconds

Height 2: 0.5 meters

Trial 1: 0.319 seconds

Trial 2: 0.322 seconds

Trial 3: 0.321 seconds

Average time: 0.321 seconds

Calculations:

Using the formula d = 1/2 gt^2, where d is the distance, g is the gravitational acceleration, and t is the time, we can solve for g.

For height 1:

d = 1.03 meters

t = 0.458 seconds

g = 2d/t^2

g = 2(1.03)/0.458^2

g = 9.66 m/s^2

For height 2:

d = 0.5 meters

t = 0.321 seconds

g = 2d/t^2

g = 2(0.5)/0.321^2

g = 9.87 m/s^2

Results and Conclusion:

The measured values of gravitational acceleration were 9.66 m/s^2 for height 1 and 9.87 m/s^2 for height 2. These values are within the expected range for gravitational acceleration on Earth, which is approximately 9.81 m/s^2. The small difference between the measured values and the expected value could be due to experimental error or variations in the local gravity field. Overall, this experiment demonstrates a simple yet effective method for measuring gravitational acceleration using common household items.

Smartphone Experiments Activity This page is part of the collection '617'.

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