Physics 1 Lab 3 Free Fall

model equation for position vs. time

y=y0+v0t+1/2at²

model equation for velocity vs. time

v=v0+at

SI unit for y

meters

SI unit for v

m/s

SI unit for a

m/s²

y vs t graph

object is thrown, reaches maximum height, then goes back at a=g

velocity vs. time graph

as object approaches ground it speeds up

if y= mx+b, slope from y free fall equation is

velocity

if y= mx+b, y-intercept from y free fall equation is

max height

error in the slope Δm=

(Δy)sqroot(N/D)

uncertainty in intercept, Δb=

(Δy)sqroot((1/D)(sum

lab 3 objective

to study the one dimensional motion of an object in free fall under the influence of gravity and measure the acceleration ‘g’

physical meaning of the slope in a velocity vs. time graph

acceleration due to gravity (g)

physical meaning of the intercept in a velocity vs. time graph

initial velocity v0

formula for displacement (dn) around point n

dn= yn+1 - yn-1

formula for average velocity vn

dn/Δt

aubin

special length unit measured using a specific six foot ruler

least-squares fit

mathematical method sed to find best-fitting line through a set of data points by minimizing sum of the squares of the vertical differences between points and the line

condition for a result being “consistent with zero”

when calculated error is larger than central value

uncertainty in time measurements

its considered negligible so its ignored in the uncertainty propagation in the lab

D=

N∑tn²-(∑tn)²