Determining the

acceleration of free-fall
experimentally
 Determining the acceleration of
free-fall experimentally

▪ Consider the multiflash image of an apple

and a feather falling in a vacuum:

▪ If we choose a convenient spot on the

apple, and mark its position, we get a
series of marks like so:
Determining the acceleration of
free-fall experimentally

▪ Now we SCALE our data. Given that the

apple is 8 cm in horizontal diameter we
can superimpose this scale on our
photograph.
0 cm

▪ Then we can estimate the position in -9 cm

cm of each image.

-22 cm

-37 cm

-55 cm
Determining the acceleration of
free-fall experimentally

▪ Suppose we know that the time

between images is 0.056 s.

0 cm
▪ We make a table starting with the
raw data columns of t and y.
-9 cm

▪ We then make calculations columns

in t, y and v (processed data). -22 cm
t(s) y(cm) t y vv
.000 0
To.056
find t you -9 need to.056subtract-37
TWO cmt's. -161
-9
-9 -161
Therefore
To.112
To findvt
find y the
you
youyou first
-22need
need
need entry
to
to .056
to for y
t is
subtract
subtract
divide TWOBLANK.
-13
-13
TWO
by t.t's. -232
y's.-232
CURRENT
.168thingtyMINUS
CURRENT
Same MINUS
for PREVIOUS
-37the first y. t.y.-15
PREVIOUS
.056 -15 -268
-268
Since
.224v = y /-55t, .056 -18
-18 -321
-55 cm -321
the first v entry is also BLANK.
 Determining the acceleration of free-fall experimentally

Now we plot v vs. t on a graph t(s) y(cm) t y v

.000 0
.056 -9 .056 -9 -161
.112 -22 .056 -13 -232
.168 -37 .056 -15 -268
v
.224 -55 .056 -18 -321

TIME / sec
.000 .056 .112 .168 .224
VELOCITY / cm sec-1

0 t
-50
-100
-150
-200
-250
-300
 Determining the acceleration of free-fall experimentally
v TIME (sec)
.000 .056 .112 .168 .224
0 t/s

VELOCITY (cm/sec)
-50 t = 0.224 s

v = -220 cm/s
-100
-150
-200
-250
-300

Finally, the acceleration is the slope of the v vs. t graph:

∆ 𝑣 − 220 𝑐𝑚/𝑠 𝑐𝑚 2
𝑎= = =− 982 2 =− 9.82 𝑚/ 𝑠
∆𝑡 0.224 𝑠 𝑠

▪ The graph v vs. t is linear. Thus a is constant.

▪ The y-intercept (the initial velocity of the apple) is not zero. But this just
means we don’t have all of the images of the apple
 u = 0 m/s Graphs of free fall motion
v = 10t x = 5 t2
time speed distance
(s) (m/s) (m)
0 0 0
1 10 5
2 20 20
3 30 45
4 40 80

Velocity vs. time Distance vs. time

40 80
velocity (m/s)

Distance (m)
30 60
20 40
10 20

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5
Time (s) Time (s)
constant slope → constant acceleration changing slope – changing speed → acceleration
 Qualitatively describing the effect of fluid
resistance on falling objects or projectiles,
including reaching terminal speed

-Students should know what is meant by terminal speed.

-This is when the drag force exactly balances the weight
 "A female Blue Whale weighing 190 metric tonnes y
(418,877lb) and measuring 27.6m (90ft 5in)
At first, v = 0. in
length suddenly materialized above the Southern
Ocean on 20 March 1947."
Guinness World Records.
Falkland Islands Philatelic Bureau. 2 March 2002.
W

▪ Suppose a blue whale suddenly Then, as v increases, so

materializes high above the ground. y
does D.
▪ The drag force D is proportional to the speed D
squared for high speeds.
For low speeds it is proportional to speed.
W
▪ Thus, as the whale picks up speed, the v
drag force increases
v reaches a maximum
value, called terminal
▪ Once the drag force equals the whale’s speed.
weight, the whale will stop accelerating. D
D = W.
▪ It has reached terminal speed.

vterminal W
 If air resistance can not be neglected, there is
additional force (drag force) acting on the body in
the direction opposite to velocity.
 Comparison of free fall with no air resistance and with air resistance

In vacuum In air terminal velocity is maximum

velocity an object can reach
displacement

displacement
in air/any fluid.

Acceleration is getting
smaller due to air resistance
time time and eventually becomes
zero.

When the force of the air

resistance equals gravity, the
velocity

velocity

object will stop accelerating

and maintain the same
time time speed.

It is different for different

acceleration

acceleration

bodies.

time time
 Comparison of free fall with no air resistance and with air resistance

In vacuum In air terminal velocity is maximum

velocity an object can reach
displacement

displacement
in air/any fluid.

Acceleration is getting
smaller due to air resistance
time time and eventually becomes
zero.

When the force of the air

resistance equals gravity, the
velocity

velocity

object will stop accelerating

and maintain the same
time time speed.

It is different for different

acceleration

acceleration

bodies.

time time
 Air drag and terminal speed

If a raindrops start in a cloud at a height h = 1200m above the surface of the

earth they hit us at 340mi/h; serious damage would result if they did.
Luckily: there is an air resistance preventing the raindrops from accelerating
beyond certain speed called terminal speed….

How fast is a raindrop traveling when it hits the ground?

It travels at 7m/s (17 mi/h) after falling approximately only 6 m. This is a
much “kinder and gentler” speed and is far less damaging than the
340mi/h calculated without drag.

The terminal speed for a skydiver is about

60 m/s (pretty terminal if you hit the deck)