ACCELERATION DUE TO GRAVITY

A falling object accelerates towards Earth because of the force of gravity. This means that it
speeds up as it falls. Acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m s – 2, so the speed of an object increases
by 9.8 m s – 1 (or 35.28 km h – 1) for every second that it falls. In the first second the objects speed
increases from zero to 35.28 km h – 1. One second later it is falling at about 70.56 km h – 1. After 3
seconds, it is falling at 105.84 km h – 1. An acceleration of 9.8 m s – 2 is called ‘1 g’. You may think it
could reach enormous speeds, but friction between the air and a moving object will reduce this
acceleration.

The friction between the air and a falling body is called air resistance, and the final velocity is called
terminal velocity.

Human tolerance of g-forces depends upon how big the forces are, how long they last, the
direction in which they act and the part of the body they affect. Humans can tolerate horizontal
forces much better than vertical forces. Forces experienced in a vertical drop are particularly
dangerous as blood flow to the brain can be disrupted and can cause loss of consciousness or
death. Your body can withstand high g-forces for a moment with no damage, but longer durations
are deadly. Some typical g-forces are listed below.

SITUATION ACCELERATION (m s – 2) NUMBER OF G’S

Free-fall 9.8 1
Space shuttle at take-off 29.4 3
Typical rollercoaster 29.4 3
A sneeze 29.4 3
Slap on the back 39.2 4
Human in a rocket sled (maximum) 455.7 46.2
Car accident at 48 km/hr with airbag 588 60
(force on chest)
Motorbike accident with no helmet 1470 – 1960 150 – 200
(force on head)

In World War 1, pilots diving and looping their aircraft were observed to lose consciousness.
American Air Force physician John Strapp decided to test the human g-force limits. He strapped
himself into a sled, powered by nine solid fuel rockets on a railway track. Strapp accelerated to
1017 km/hr in 5 seconds, before stopping in 1 second. John Strapp’s body withstood a momentary
force of 46.2 g. The six images show John Strapp accelerating then decelerating rapidly.
 ACCELERATION DUE TO GRAVITY
SUPER BIRD

The peregrine falcon is a raptor that hunts and kills other birds. Its vision is about eight times
stronger than human sight. These raptors knock their prey unconscious in a vertical dive at speeds
up to 300 km/h. As it pulls out of a dive, the peregrine falcon can withstand forces up to 25 g.

GRAPHING ACCELERATION

The acceleration of an object can be calculated from the slope or gradient of a velocity-time graph.
Constant acceleration is shown on a velocity-time graph as a line rising upwards. A vehicle slowing
down, or decelerating, at a constant rate is shown by a line sloping downwards. The motion of an
object travelling at a constant velocity (zero acceleration) is shown by a flat line. The diagrams
below show how a velocity-time graph changes with different accelerations.

IN SUMMARY
 ACCELERATION DUE TO GRAVITY

Gravity is the rate of acceleration at which objects fall. It seems logical that heavier objects should
fall faster than lighter ones, but Galileo found that the acceleration due to gravity is the same for all
similarly shaped objects. Newton later discovered that the acceleration due to gravity depends on
the mass of the planet you are on and the distance you are from the centre of the planet, but not
on the mass of the falling object.

Provided they fall short distances, objects such as tennis balls, cricket balls and apples fall with an
acceleration of 9.80 m s –2 on Earth. This means the falling object’s speed increases by 9.8 m s –1
for every second that the object falls. The symbol for gravitational acceleration is g.

ACTIVITY: TO CALCULATE THE RATE AT WHICH OBJECTS FALL

If you can precisely measure the time taken for an object starting from rest to fall a known distance,
the acceleration due to gravity can be calculated using –

s = ut + ½ at2

With u = 0 (the initial velocity) and the body falling vertically, this formula can be simplified as
shown below:

s = ½ at2

2s = at2

2s
a=
t2
2s
or g (acceleration due to gravity) =
t2

Aim: To establish a value for the acceleration due to gravity of a free-falling body.

Materials required: 1 tennis ball, 3 stopwatches and a metre rule.

Method: Select a suitable high position in the classroom from which to drop a tennis ball safely.
Measure the height from which the tennis ball will be dropped. Time how long it takes from the
tennis ball to fall and hit the ground. Use 3 people for timing and find an average time. Calculate
the acceleration due to gravity using the formula above.
 ACCELERATION DUE TO GRAVITY
Results:
s (the displacement or distance the ball falls) = 1m

Trials 1 2 3 4

Time for the Av. Av. Av. Av.

tennis ball to 0.31 0.37 0.3 0.34
fall (s) 4
2s -2
20ms-2
g= 2 (ms )
t

PROCESSING OF RESULTS AND QUESTIONS

1. Use your value of g for the four trials to calculate an average value for g.

20ms-2

2. What is the difference between your calculated acceleration and the value of 9.8 ms -2 accepted
by scientists? Give two possible reasons for the difference.

The difference was about 10 ms-2. The reason for the difference is behind the accuracy of our
timing and the height we dropped the ball from

3. If this experiment were repeated at a different place on the earth’s surface, a different value of g
may be obtained. Suggest a reason why this would occur?

The ‘different place’ could be closer or further away from the earth’s center which will affect the
earth’s gravitational pull

4. Why was air resistance not taken into account for this experiment?

Air resistance would be too hard to measure

5. Suggest how the accuracy of this experiment could be improved.

Use an equipment which can be used to accurately measure the time the ball is dropped and
landed, and conduct more trials
 ACCELERATION DUE TO GRAVITY

6. John Strapp accelerated to a speed of 1017 km h – 1 in 5 seconds and then came to a stop in 1
second. Convert this speed to m s – 1.

(a) Calculate John Strapp’s average acceleration in reaching 1017 km h – 1 in m s – 2.

282.5ms-1
A = v-u/t
= 282.5 -0/5
56,5 ms-2

(b) Calculate John Strapp’s deceleration in coming to a stop in 1 second in m s – 2.

A = v-u/t
= 0 – 282.5/1
A deceleration of 282.5 km/h-2

7. List four factors that affect the response of your body to a g-force.

How big the forces are, how long they last, the direction in which they act and the part of the body
they affect

8. Although acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m s – 2, in practice, an object dropped from a tree, will
not accelerate this rapidly. Explain why.

Air resistance has an effect on the rate at with an object will fall.

9. A rock is dropped from the edge of a cliff and it hits the river below 4.0 s later. Ignoring any
effects from air resistance, determine:

(a) its final velocity prior to hitting the water

V = u+ at = 0 + 9.8 * 4
=39.2ms-2 down

(b) the distance travelled by the rock

S = ut +1/2 at2
= 0 * 4 + 0.5 * 9.8 * 4 * 4
= 78.4m down

(c) its average velocity during its fall.

Vav = s/t =
=78.4/4
=19.6ms-1 down
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10. A ball is thrown straight up into the air. It rises 147m before stopping and falling back to earth.

(a) How long did it take to reach its highest point (assume v at the highest point is zero and
acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m s – 2 downwards)?

S = ut + ½ at 2
147 = 0 * t + 0.5 * 9.8 * t2
147 = 4.9t2
T2 = 30
T = 5.48 s

(b) How long was the ball in the air?

Total time = 2 * 5.48 = 10.95 secs