GRAVITY’S PULL: TESTING THE GRAVITATIONAL ECCELERATION OF

A FREE FALLING COIN

Prepared by:

Galanga, James

Gealon, Richelle Faith B.

Isnain, Erich

BSED 2A
INTRODUCTION

In Mechanics, Free-fall is state of which a body moves freely in any manner with only

gravity acting upon as a force. During the 4th century B.C., the ancient Greek philosopher,

Aristotle, theorized that the speed at which an object falls is probably relative to its mass. This

explains that if two objects with the same size but one is heavier; this means that the heavier

object have greater density than the lighter object. Furthermore, in 1564, an Italian

mathematician, scientist and a philosopher; Galileo Galilei, recognized that in a vacuum all

falling objects would accelerate at the same rate regardless of their size, shape or mass. However,

there have been oppositions to the concepts between the two; for the reason that Aristotle

believes that an object’s mass affected the rate that it would hit the ground while Galileo

disapproved by arguing that mass did not affect the rate of an object that hit the ground.

Nonetheless besides these oppositions, there are two important motion characteristics that are

factual of free-falling objects. One of that is that free falling objects do not encounter air

resistance and also all free-falling objects (on Earth) accelerate downwards at a rate of 9.8m/s2.

In this paper, an experiment was conducted to ascertain the effects of gravitational

acceleration to free falling bodies. Particularly, this was done by positioning the object into

different heights to evaluate how this affects the velocity of the object with regards to the varying

trials conducted.

HYPOTHESIS

All objects acquire the same acceleration (g) when falling freely under the influence of gravity at

the same point on the Earth.

METHODOLOGY

EXPERIMENT LOCALE

This experiment was done in the residential house of one of the proponents located at 3rd

Road Candido, Don Alfaro street, Tetuan.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The materials used for the experiment were 20 pesos coin, a stopwatch, and a pull-push

rule. The general procedure for this experiment will start by measuring and marking the wall

with the proper measure of the assigned height using pull-push rule. The proponents decided to

conduct 3 trials for each of the heights which helps to gather a more accurate and precise data.

Afterwards, the stopwatch was used to know how many seconds the coin reaches the ground.

Finally, the results were taken and tabulated.

Figure 1. The actual illustration of the Experiment.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The observations and results taken from the experiment were tabulated in the table below.

Height First drop Second drop Third drop Average time

1 meter 0.450s 0.451s 0.451s 0.451s

2 meters 0.633s 0.642s 0.644s 0.640s

3 meters 0.780s 0.788s 0.781s 0.783s

4 meters 0.901s 0.901s 0.903s 0.902s

5 meters 1.013s 1.021s 1.001s 1.012s

Table 1. The trials made to a free falling coin.

As the gathering of data was complete, the proponents have calculated the velocities on

each of the height (meter) use. The proponents have calculated and utilized the formula for

velocity which is V = (g)(t) where g is the gravity (9.8m/s2) and t is the time it takes for the coin

to reach the ground. Also, the proponents have calculated and utilized the formula for

acceleration which is a = 2(distance)/t2. In addition, the mean and standard deviation for the

results in the velocity and acceleration were calculated as well. Computations are shown as

follows:

VELOCITY:

1 meter: V = (g)(t) =(9.8) (0.451s) = 4.42 m/s

2 meters: V = (g)(t) =(9.8)( 0.640s) =6.27 m/s

3 meters: V = (g)(t) =(9.8) (0.783s) = 7.67 m/s

4 meters: V = (g)(t) =(9.8) (0.902s) = 8.84 m/s

5 meters: V = (g)(t) =(9.8) (1.012s) = 9.92 m/s

In table 1, the 3 trials were calculated to find each of the average time resulted. The

average time taken was then used to calculate for velocity. Specifically, in 1 meter, the Vo is 0

where the time it takes to reach the floor is 0.451s and the velocity is 4.42m/s. In 2 meters, the Vo

is 0 where the time it takes to reach the floor is 0.640s and the velocity is 6.27m/s. In 3 meters,

the Vo is 0 where the time it takes to reach the floor is 0.783s and the velocity is 7.67m/s. In 4

meters, the Vo is 0 where the time it takes to reach the floor is 0.902s, the velocity is 8.84m/s.

Lastly, for 5 meters, the Vo is 0 where the time it takes to reach the floor is 1.012s and the

velocity is 9.92m/s. The aforementioned calculations and observations were utilized to come up

with a suitable conclusion.

Height Mean Standard Deviation

1meter 0.451 0.0007

2meters 0.640 0.005

3meters 0.783 0.004

4meters 0.902 0.0012

5meters 1.012 0.010

Table 2. The mean and Standard Deviation of the different assigned heights.

In table 2, the results for the mean and standard deviation of the different heights which

corresponds 3 different trials were calculated and tabulated. In the mean result for 1 meter, it is
said that 0.451 is the value that produces the lowest amount of error of all the other values for the

1 meter height and thus, 0.451s is the value use to calculate the acceleration of this height. In the

mean result for 2 meters, 0.640 is the value that produces the lowest amount of error of all the

other values for the 2 meters height. In the mean result for 3 meters, 0.783 is the value that

produces the lowest amount of error of all the other values for the 3 meters height. In the same

way, the mean result for 4 meters is 0.902 and for 5 meters it is 1.012; and thus, these values are

used to solve for the acceleration. In terms of the Standard deviation results, all the assigned

heights have a result that is close to 0 which means that the variation of the set of time (seconds)

per height are close to the mean; making the set of time more precise for the computation of

acceleration as follows:

ACCELERATION:

a = 2(distance)/t2 = 2 (1m) / (0.451s)2 = 9.83 m/s2 or 9.8 m/s2

a = 2(distance)/t2 = 2 (2m) / (0.640s) 2 = 9.76 m/s2 or 9.8 m/s2

a = 2(distance)/t2 = 2(3m)/(0.783s)2 = 9.78 m/s2 or 9.8 m/s2

a = 2(distance)/t2 = 2(4m)/ (0.902s)2 = 9.83 m/s2 or 9.8 m/s2

a = 2(distance)/t2 = 2(5m)/(1.012s)2 = 9.76 m/s2 or 9.8 m/s2

Mean:

̅ ∑

n
̅ 9.8 m/s2 + 9.8 m/s2 + 9.8 m/s2 + 9.8 m/s2+ 9.8 m/s2

5
2
̅ 9.8 m/s
Standard Deviation:

∑ ̅̅̅̅
s=√

s=√

s=0

With the given computations for acceleration, it was expected that the accelerations are

not fully equivalent to the gravitational field constant due to experimental errors. Moreover,

based on the computation for the mean which gives the result of 9.8 m/s2; the result is the same

with the accepted value which is 9.8 m/s2. Also, the standard deviation result shows that the

variation in the acceleration values is 0 which only proves that the gravitational field is constant.

CONCLUSION

All objects experience the same acceleration (g) when falling freely under the influence

of gravity at the same point on the Earth. If gravity is the only force acting on an object, the sum

of gravitational energy is constant. This experiment proves that the height from which an object

and the time of fall do not affect its acceleration. Correspondingly, by comparing the obtained

acceleration values with the constant value, the experimental errors were accounted. Therefore

the acceleration due to gravity is constant in all cases of free falling object which is 9.8 m/s 2.

Additionally, the proponents conclude that the speed of free falling object increases as the object

is subjected into a higher altitude.

TABLES AND FIGURES

The observations and results taken from the experiment were tabulated in the table below.
 Height First drop Second drop Third drop Average time

1 meter 0.450s 0.451s 0.451s 0.451s

2 meters 0.633s 0.642s 0.644s 0.640s

3 meters 0.780s 0.788s 0.781s 0.783s

4 meters 0.901s 0.901s 0.903s 0.902s

5 meters 1.013s 1.021s 1.001s 1.012s

Table 1. The trials made to a free falling coin.

Height Mean Standard Deviation

1meter 0.451 0.0007

2meters 0.640 0.005

3meters 0.783 0.004

4meters 0.902 0.0012

5meters 1.012 0.010

Table 2. The mean and Standard Deviation of the different assigned heights.

VELOCITY:

1 meter: V = (g)(t) =(9.8) (0.451s) = 4.42 m/s

2 meters: V = (g)(t) =(9.8)( 0.640s) =6.27 m/s

3 meters: V = (g)(t) =(9.8) (0.783s) = 7.67 m/s

4 meters: V = (g)(t) =(9.8) (0.902s) = 8.84 m/s

5 meters: V = (g)(t) =(9.8) (1.012s) = 9.92 m/s

ACCELERATION:

a = 2(distance)/t2 = 2 (1m) / (0.451s)2 = 9.83 m/s2 or 9.8 m/s2

a = 2(distance)/t2 = 2 (2m) / (0.640s) 2 = 9.76 m/s2 or 9.8 m/s2

a = 2(distance)/t2 = 2(3m)/(0.783s)2 = 9.78 m/s2 or 9.8 m/s2

a = 2(distance)/t2 = 2(4m)/ (0.902s)2 = 9.83 m/s2 or 9.8 m/s2

a = 2(distance)/t2 = 2(5m)/(1.012s)2 = 9.76 m/s2 or 9.8 m/s2

Mean:

̅ ∑

n
̅ 9.8 m/s2 + 9.8 m/s2 + 9.8 m/s2 + 9.8 m/s2+ 9.8 m/s2

5
2
̅ 9.8 m/s

Standard Deviation:

∑ ̅̅̅̅
s=√

s=√

s=0

REFERENCES

Introduction to free fall (n.d.). The physics classroom. Retrieved from

http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/1DKin/Lesson-5/Introduction

Wikipedia contributors.(n.d.). Free fall. Wikipedia. Retrieved from

 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_fall.

Encyclopaedia Britannica Editors (n.d.). Free fall. Britannica. Retrieved from

http://www.briannica.com/science/free-fall-physics.

The acceleration of gravity. (n.d.). The physics classroom. Retrieved from

http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/1DKin/Lesson-5/Acceleration-of-Gravity

Wikipedia contributors.(n.d.). Mean. Wikipedia. Retrieved from

http://en.m.wikiedia.org/wiki/Mean

Wikipedia contributors.(n.d.). Standard deviation. Wikipedia. Retrieved from

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_deviation.