TITLE: THE EFFECTS OF AIR RESISTANCE AS A DRAG FORCE

HYPOTHESIS: The flight of a golf ball is determined more by air resistance than by gravity
as air resistance is a force acting against the direction of the ball. Therefore, air resistance is
proportional to speed, as speed increases so does the air resistance.

AIM: To plan and design an experiment on how the force acting on a stationary golf ball due
to air flowing past it varies with the speed of the air.

APPARATUS AND MATERIALS: Golf ball, top pan balance, Newton meter, Air speed
indicator, thin string and Wide pipe with fan mounted at one end

DIAGRAM: Diagram to show how to set-up the apparatus

METHOD:
1. Using the top pan balance, measure and record the mass of the golf ball.
2. Set up the apparatus as shown in the diagram above. Ensure the golf ball rests on
the surface of the wine pipe.
3. While ensuring that the fan is turned off, take the reading of the spring balance with
the ball.
4. Turn the speed of the fan at 5𝑚𝑠 −1 and record the reading on the spring balance.
5. Repeat Step 4 whilst increasing the wind velocity each time by 5𝑚𝑠 −1 for every
repetition until a value of 30𝑚𝑠 −1 is reached.
6. Repeat Steps 1-5 until you acquire 6 sets of readings.

RESULTS AND CALCULATIONS:

Wind Velocity/𝑚𝑠 −1 Weight/N Average Weight/N Drag Force/N

Test 1 Test 2
5
10
15
20
25
30

GRAPH: Graph showing Drag Dorce against Wind Velocity

PRECAUTIONS:
1. Ensure that as little environmental factors affect the experiment as they may skewer
the results.
2. All scaling equipment must be reset to zero as to reduce systematic errors and allow
for accuracy.
3. Carefully view the spring balance at eye level as to avoid human error.

ERRORS:
1. Parallax error, or slight inaccuracies caused by human error.
2. Environmental factors can cause inaccurate readings.

LIMITATIONS:
1. It is likely that the value on the spring balance can shift about, making it difficult to
properly record.

VARIABLES:
MANIPULATED – The speed of the wind generated
CONTROLLED – Mass of the ball
RESPONDING – Drag force

ANALYSIS: As an object moves through a fluid, be it a liquid or a gas, the fluid resists the
motion. This is called drag force, the force that moves against the object. What increases
drag force is a multitude of factors; from increasing the size and shape of the object, to the
viscosity of the fluid but most importantly, the direction of the flow which tends to be opposite
to the object. As the speed the wind against the ball increases, it should be proportional to
the force acting against the object so then it should be expected that as the airspeed
indicator increases, the more force acting against the ball and the less force the ball can
generate which should be seen in the reduction of value in the Newton meter.

CONCLUSION:
If the hypothesis were to stand correct, then the conclusion would be that the force
generated and direction of a ball as it moves through a fluid is determined more by air
resistance than by gravity.