Experiment 4: Principle of Equivalence

Demonstrator
Matienzo, Sophia Rose, Lagar John Michael, Lopez Jacky, Lopez Jan-Ace,
Milag Jed Andrew Stephen, Mina Jeanard

Department of Senior High Sschool, STEM, Polytechnic University of the

Philippines, Sta. Mesa Manila, 1016
1
E-mail: matienzosophiarose@gmail.com

Abstract. Einstein’s Equivalence Principle asserts that a gravitational field cannot be

distinguish from a suitably chosen accelerated reference frame- essentially because we
cannot distinguish between the reciprocal cases of spacetime accelerating through us
(gravity), or our own acceleration through spacetime (in a rocket ship). Hence the
equivalence between the inertial and gravitational mass – classically recognized by
Newton as the equivalence between inertial resistance and gravitational “weight” but not
understood.

1. Introduction

When Einstein first proposed the principle of equivalence as a foundation to general

relativity, his basic argument was that, without some external point of reference, a free-floating
observer far from gravitational sources and a free-falling observer in the gravitational field of a
massive body each have the same experience. Likewise an observer standing on the surface of a
massive body and an observer which uniformly accelerates at a rate equal to the body’s surface
gravity have identical experiences. Thus, the free-float and free-fall frames can be considered
equivalent. In the same manner, the uniform acceleration frame and the surface frame are
equivalent. This is known as the weak equivalence principle:

All effects of a uniform gravitational field are identical to the effects of a uniform
acceleration of the coordinate system.

In order to formulate general relativity in terms of general covariance, Einstein later

strengthened this argument to yield what is known as the strong equivalence principle:

The ratio between the inertial mass of a particle and its gravitational mass is a universal
constant.
 It is this latter principle which was experimentally validated by the classic
Eötvös experiment, which determined that objects fall at the same rate regardless of their material
consistency.

The strong equivalence principle does not require that all masses are equal. It only
requires that an object’s inertial and passive masses are proportional. Although the equivalence
principle says nothing about active mass, conservation of momentum does. If you apply
conservation of momentum to two gravitationally interacting objects, you find that momentum is
only conserved is if the active mass of an object is proportional to its inertial and passive masses.
Thus in order to relate all three masses, we need not only the equivalence principle, but also the
conservation of energy-momentum.

The constants of proportionality can be wrapped into the gravitational constant, so it

would seem we can simply follow Newton, set all three types of mass equal to each other and be
done with it. There is, however, a catch. Although we can arbitrarily set the magnitudes of active
and passive mass equal to each other, it is possible for them to be opposite in sign. In other words,
if there was some weird type of matter that gravitationally repelled other masses, the equivalence
principle and conservation of momentum would still hold true. The equivalence principle has
been tested between regular matter, which requires all three masses to be the same. Since
ordinary matter is mutually attractive we can say that Newton’s assertion is correct for matter.

Archimedes’ principle, physical law of buoyancy, discovered by the ancient Greek

mathematician and inventor Archimedes, stating that anybody completely or partially submerged
in a fluid (gas or liquid) at rest is acted upon by an upward, or buoyant, force the magnitude of
which is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the body. The volume of displaced fluid is
equivalent to the volume of an object fully immersed in a fluid or to that fraction of the volume
below the surface for an object partially submerged in a liquid. The weight of the displaced
portion of the fluid is equivalent to the magnitude of the buoyant force. The buoyant force on a
body floating in a liquid or gas is also equivalent in magnitude to the weight of the floating object
and is opposite in direction; the object neither rises nor sinks. For example, a ship that is launched
sinks into the ocean until the weight of the water it displaces is just equal to its own weight. As
the ship is loaded, it sinks deeper, displacing more water, and so the magnitude of the buoyant
force continuously matches the weight of the ship and its cargo.

Figure 4.1 Illustration of

Archimedes’ principle of
buoyancy. Here a 5-kg object
immersed in water is shown
 If the weight of an object is less than that of the displaced fluid, the object rises, as in
the case of a block of wood that is released beneath the surface of water or a helium-filled balloon
that is let loose in air. An object heavier than the amount of the fluid it displaces, though it sinks
when released, has an apparent weight loss equal to the weight of the fluid displaced. In fact, in
some accurate weighings, a correction must be made in order to compensate for the buoyancy
effect of the surrounding air.

The buoyant force, which always opposes gravity, is nevertheless caused by gravity.
Fluid pressure increases with depth because of the (gravitational) weight of the fluid above. This
increasing pressure applies a force on a submerged object that increases with depth. The result is
buoyancy.

2. Methodology

In doing this experiment we needed materials like marbles (12 pcs), Styrofoam balls (12
pcs), water, pet battles, bearing and woods for the platform.

Figure 4. 2 Styrofoam Balls Figure 4.3 Marbles

Principle of Equivalence demonstrator was also hard to do. First, we use saw to cut the plywood
in order for us to the rotating platform. Second, we make a hole in the platform to put the bearing
and put the stick in the bearing. After putting the stick we attach the two bottles using the sealant.
And when it is all done we put the marbles and Styrofoam balls inside the pet bottles.

Figure 4.5 Principle of

equivalence Demonstrator
3. Results and Discussions

Explained below are the concepts which are related to Principle of Equivalence
Demonstrator, it is the Archimedes Principle and Gravitation Density.

Archimedes' principle, principle that states that a body immersed in a fluid is buoyed
up by a force equal to the weight of the displaced fluid. The principle applies to both floating and
submerged bodies and to all fluids, i.e., liquids and gases. It explains not only the buoyancy of
ships and other vessels in water but also the rise of a balloon in the air and the apparent loss of
weight of objects underwater. In determining whether a given body will float in a given fluid,
both weight and volume must be considered that is, the relative density , or weight per unit of
volume, of the body compared to the fluid determines the buoyant force. If the body is less dense
than the fluid, it will float or, in the case of a balloon, it will rise. If the body is denser than the
fluid, it will sink. Relative density also determines the proportion of a floating body that will be
submerged in a fluid. If the body is two thirds as dense as the fluid, then two thirds of its volume
will be submerged, displacing in the process a volume of fluid whose weight is equal to the entire
weight of the body. In the case of a submerged body, the apparent weight of the body is equal to
its weight in air less the weight of an equal volume of fluid. The fluid most often encountered in
applications of Archimedes' principle is water, and the specific gravity of a substance is a
convenient measure of its relative density compared to water. In calculating the buoyant force on
a body, however, one must also take into account the shape and position of the body. A steel
rowboat placed on end into the water will sink because the density of steel is much greater than
that of water. However, in its normal, keel-down position, the effective volume of the boat
includes all the air inside it, so that its average density is then less than that of water, and as a
result it will float.

Newton's law of universal gravitation states that a particle attracts every other particle in
the universe using a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely
proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. This is a general physical law
derived from empirical observations by what Isaac Newton called inductive reasoning. It is a part
of classical mechanics and was formulated in Newton's work Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia
Mathematica ("the Principia"), first published on 5 July 1687.

In today's language, the law states: Every point mass attracts every single other point mass by a
force pointing along the line intersecting both points. The force is proportional to the product of
the two masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. The first
test of Newton's theory of gravitation between masses in the laboratory was the Cavendish
experiment conducted by the British scientist Henry Cavendish in 1798. It took place 111 years
after the publication of Newton's Principia and approximately 71 years after his death.

Newton's law of gravitation resembles Coulomb's law of electrical forces, which is used to
calculate the magnitude of the electrical force arising between two charged bodies. Both are
inverse-square laws, where force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between
the bodies. Coulomb's law has the product of two charges in place of the product of the masses,
and the electrostatic constant in place of the gravitational constant.
Newton's law has since been superseded by Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity, but it
continues to be used as an excellent approximation of the effects of gravity in most applications.
Relativity is required only when there is a need for extreme precision, or when dealing with very
strong gravitational fields, such as those found near extremely massive and dense objects, or at
very close distances (such as Mercury's orbit around the Sun).

4. Summary and Conclusion

In this activity, the researchers found out that the project should be stable and balanced.
The project should rotate in a circular motion and it should be balance throughout the rotation.

There are some errors in the making of the Principle of Equivalence Demonstrator. It was
really hard in using the saw because it was my first time. Another error that is encountered was at
first, it is not rotating it is just stacked.

The possible cause of errors are the proper way of putting the bearing. If the bearing was
not put harder the stick won’t rotate. Also the platform may be one of the cause of the errors
because it is not stable and shaky.

Acknowledgement

I am grateful for those people who helped us to work in this project. Each of the members
of my group has provided me personal and professional guidance and taught me a great deal
about both mathematics research and life in general. I would also like to thank our Professor Mr.
Reynold Luna for teaching and guiding us in this experiment. I would also like to thank my
parents, whose love and guidance are with me in whatever I pursue. Lastly, we would like to
thank God for giving us strength to do the experiment and lab report.

References
[1] D.S. Mathur, Elements of Properties of Matter, Shyamlal Cheritable Trust, New Delhi, 1967

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weighing_scale

[3] Halliday, Resnick and Walker, Fundamentals of physics, Wiley India, New Delhi, 2008

[4] Ernst Mach, The Science of Mechanics: A Critical and Historical Account of Its
Development, translated by Thomas J. McCormack, Sixth Edition with Revisions through the
Ninth German Edition, Open Court Publishing, Illinois.