FREE FALL LAB

Name of Student

Institutional Affiliation

Task

Date Due
 Free Fall Lab
Objectives

 To confirm some of the properties of objects in free fall.

 To affirm that in case air resistance is ignored or negligible, objects fall in the same
way regardless of mass.

Introduction

From Galileo's experiments, it is well established that when air resistance is not
important, objects fall with motion that can be described as constant acceleration. In this
experiment, we analyze this fact comprehensively.

Procedure.

 Part 1. I held up two quarters at equal height and simply let them drop at the same
time. I observed that these coins hit the floor at the same time. I repeated this
process by using two different coins, such as a quarter and a penny, and held them
at the same height and dropping them at the same time. I tried 3 more times and
noticed that the penny was very, very, slightly slower at hitting the ground than
the penny, but when I tried it one last time, I noticed that it did drop at the same
time.
 Part 2: I decided to use two pennies. For the height of each penny, I decided to
drop one penny at a higher height and the other at a lower height. For the next try,
I held one penny with my arm extended upward and the other penny from my
belly button. Trying to let the lower penny go as the one from the greater height
passed was difficult because it seemed as if the penny from the greater height was
moving faster toward the ground than the penny that was lower in height. I retried
the experiment with quarters and also at different heights and still observed the
same results.
 Part 3: For this experiment, I used 1 piece of paper taken out of one of my
notebooks. I then ripped/ cut it into two halves. I held both pieces of paper in each
hand and dropped them from about 5 feet high from the ground. As the papers
were falling, I noticed that they didn't just fall straight down, but they swayed side
to side and landed at about the same time. For the second try, I folded one of the
papers in half and then held both papers up again at 5 feet in the air. As I dropped
 both of the papers at the same time, I noticed that the folded paper did not sway as
much as the other paper, but the papers did end up hitting the ground at the same
time. After this trial, I tried it 3 more times, and every time, I noticed that the
folded paper hit the ground before the other paper, so we could say the prediction
was correct.
 Part 4: After crumpling a half sheet of paper and observing an extended piece of
paper, I predict that the small crumpled ball will fall to the ground first because it
will not do much of any swaying before it hits the ground, causing it to get there
faster than the sheet that will be extended. I then experimented 5 times and
noticed that every single time, the smaller crumpled-up ball hit the ground faster
than the sheet of paper every time.

Data Analysis

Part 1. A simple drop

Height in Metres Coins hit the Ground at the Observation
same time. Yes/No
1 Yes Both nickels hit the ground
simultaneously.
1.5 Yes Both nickels hit the ground
simultaneously.
2 Yes Both nickels hit the ground
simultaneously.
a) Coins of the same denomination

b) Coins of different denominations

Height in metres Coins hit the ground at Observation

different times. Yes/No
1 Yes Penny and quarter hit the
ground simultaneously.
1.5 Yes Penny and quarter hit the
ground simultaneously.
2 Yes Penny and quarter hit the
ground simultaneously.
Conclusion.

Based on this experiment, we realize that the set of lighter coins and the set of heavier
coins fall on the ground at the same time, no matter their sizes or values. This proves t
that if there is no air resistance, every object falls at the same rate because of gravity.

The images below suggest that where there is no air resistance, as in a vacuum, all
objects fall to the ground at the same time, as established in our experiment 1. This is
so because the gravitational pull acting on them is equal.

Part 2. Free fall is accelerated

Higher coin Lower coin Which coin hit Conclusion

Height in metres Height in metres first
2 1 Higher coin The higher coin
hits the ground first
because of a higher
 acceleration due to
gravity
2.5 1.5 Higher Coin The higher coin
hits the ground first
because of a higher
acceleration due to
gravity
3 2 Higher coin The higher coin
hits the ground first
because of a higher
acceleration due to
gravity.

Discussion

Height Differences: Greater variations between the two coins show the results even
more explicitly, as the coin at the higher position will take more time and gain better
velocity before getting its position as low as the other coin.
The image below explains the effect of acceleration on gravity because of height.

Part 3. Non-free-fall

a) Using similar-sized sheets

Height in Metres Which Paper Observations

Fell fastest
1 All of them fell Both papers fluttered
at a similar rate down due to air resistance.
1.5 All of them fell Both papers fluttered
at a similar rate down due to air resistance.
2 All of them fell Both papers fluttered
at a similar rate down due to air resistance.

b) When one sheet is folded.

Height in metres Which paper fell fastest Observations

 1 Folded paper Folded paper fell faster;
unfolded paper fluttered.
1.5 Folded paper Folded paper fell faster;
unfolded paper fluttered.
2 Folded paper Folded paper fell faster;
unfolded paper fluttered.

Conclusion

As viewed through this experiment, when the two pieces of paper are the same
size, they take a very long time to fall since equal amounts of air resistance slow
them down. But, if one piece of paper is folded, then the area of the paper exposed
to air is comparatively small. Therefore, the air resistance such an object would
encounter is relatively smaller. This leads to the folded paper hitting the ground at
a faster speed as compared to the unfolded paper.

Part 4. Part 4. Non-free fall, different masses

Attempt Prediction. Which one hits Observations

(Which the ground first
One hit the
ground first)
1 Crumpled paper Crumpled paper The crumpled
paper fell faster
due to reduced air
resistance.
2 Crumpled paper Crumpled paper The crumpled
paper fell faster
due to reduced air
resistance.
3 Crumpled paper Crumpled paper The crumpled
paper fell faster
due to reduced air
resistance.

Conclusion
From this experiment, we notice that even though the mass of the crumpled half
sheet of paper is lighter, it falls faster than the full sheet of material. This is
because the crumpled paper surface area is limited and thus has lesser resistance
compared to a flat and fully spread paper.

Appendices
 REFERENCES

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-physics/chapter/2-8-graphical-analysis-
of-one-dimensional-motion/

https://flexbooks.ck12.org/cbook/ck-12-middle-school-physical-science-flexbook-
2.0/section/10.9/primary/lesson/acceleration-due-to-gravity-ms-ps/