Acceleration Due to Gravity Lab

Lab 2: Acceleration Due to Gravity

Objective

• The lab aims to measure the acceleration due to gravity using two methods: free fall and a simple pendulum.

Part 1: Free Fall

Materials

• Free-fall apparatus, digital timer, steel ball, and meter stick are required.

Procedure

• Set up the free-fall apparatus with the digital timer.
• Measure the height, $h$, the ball falls using the meter stick.
• Release the ball, recording the time, $t$, to fall the distance $h$.
• Repeat the height and time measurements for five different drop heights.

Data Collection

• Record the height $h$ and the time $t$ in Table 2.1.

Calculations

• Using $h = \frac{1}{2}gt^2$, solve for the experimental value of the acceleration due to gravity, $g$.
• Calculate the experimental $g$ for each trial, recording it in Table 2.2.
• Calculate the average experimental $g$ value.
• Determine the percent error between the experimental and accepted $g$ value, which is 9.8 m/s².

Part 2: Simple Pendulum

Materials

• String, mass, protractor, meter stick, and digital timer are required.

Procedure

• Set up a simple pendulum using the string and mass.
• Measure the pendulum's length, $L$, with the meter stick.
• Measure the release angle, $\theta$, using the protractor.
• Release the pendulum, recording the time, $t$, for 10 oscillations.
• Repeat length and time measurements for five different pendulum lengths.

Data Collection

• Record the length $L$ and the time for 10 oscillations $t$ in Table 2.3.

Calculations

• Calculate the period $T$ by dividing the time for 10 oscillations by 10.
• Solve $T = 2\pi\sqrt{\frac{L}{g}}$ for the experimental value of the acceleration due to gravity, $g$.
• Calculate the experimental $g$ for each trial and record in Table 2.4.
• Calculate the average experimental $g$ value.
• Determine the percent error between the experimental and accepted $g$ value, which is 9.8 m/s².

Questions

• List potential sources of error in the free fall experiment.
• Explain how the release angle affects the period of a simple pendulum.
• Explain how the length of the pendulum affects its period.
• Compare the values of $g$ from the two methods, identifying which is more accurate and why.