Experiment 1

MOTION

BATTUNG, LIANA-BELLE L.

BCH1-2

Group 2

Sir Eduardo Apuyan & Sir Eduardo Tibayan Jr.

May 06,2019

Criteria Excellent Very Satisfactory Developing

Satisfactory
Neatness and Organization 6 4 3 2
Cover Page 4 3 2 1
Abstract 12 9 6 3
Introduction 8 6 4 2
Procedure 8 6 4 2
Data and Results 4 3 2 1
Interpretation of Data and Results 16 12 8 4
Conclusion 8 6 4 2
References 4 3 2 1

TOTAL _______ / 70
 ABSTRACT

In this experiment, free fall motion and projectile motion were demonstrated. In the free fall motion,
the experiment was conducted with the use of Xplorer GLX and a picket fence in order to prove that the
acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m/s2. The picket fence was dropped through a photogate head connected
to Xplorer GLX to determine the vertical displacement and velocity to allow the calculation of experimental
acceleration due to gravity value. The obtained value was 10.02 m/s2 while the theoretical value is 9.8m/s2.
Comparing the two values by percentage error, it resulted to a 2.24% error, meaning the values are close to
each other. The second part of the experiment which is projectile motion, was conducted with the same
equipment adding the Time-of-Flight apparatus. With the use of these instruments, the time it takes for the
ball to land and velocity was calculated. These calculated values was then used to calculate the horizontal
and vertical displacement with the use of a formula. The values of measured and calculated horizontal and
vertical displacements were averaged then resulted to a 4.48% and 5.56% difference. This indicates that the
measured displacements are close to the calculated displacements. The experiment also showed that
horizontal and vertical displacements in a projectile motion can be predicted through formulas. One possible
source of error is that measurements is not always clearly defined. Another thing is environmental factors
such as vibrations, noise and even air resistance. Instruments also contributes to sources of error if not
calibrated properly.

INTRODUCTION

Motion is the change in position of an object. Motion can be described in distance, displacement, speed,
velocity, and acceleration. The concept of motion is qualified by two quantity, scalar and vector. Scalar is
always described by its magnitude. Vector quantity is described by both the magnitude and direction. In free
fall motion, a body, which is allowed to fall freely, is acted upon the force of gravitational attraction between
that body and the earth and is directed toward the center of the earth. Any object that is being acted upon
only by the force of gravity is said to be in a state of free fall. All free-falling objects (on Earth) accelerate
downwards at a rate of 9.8 m/s2.

Projectile motion is the motion of an object thrown or projected into the air, subject to only the acceleration
of gravity. The object is called a projectile, and its path is called its trajectory. There are a variety of examples
of projectiles. An object dropped from rest is a projectile (provided that the influence of air resistance is
negligible). An object that is thrown vertically upward is also a projectile (provided that the influence of air
resistance is negligible). And an object which is thrown upward at an angle to the horizontal is also a projectile
(provided that the influence of air resistance is negligible). A projectile is any object that once projected or
dropped continues in motion by its own inertia and is influenced only by the downward force of gravity. In this
experiment, both free-fall motion and projectile motion used Xplorer GLX to record certain data about the
motion of a body, represented by a picket fence and a ball.
SCHEMATIC PROCEDURE

A. Free Fall Motion

Prepare equipments Click on the Play Button

and apparatus of the Xplorer GLX to Drop the Picket Fence
record the data for the vertically, without tilting
(Figure 1) velocity and position

Compute for the

Click on the Play Button experimental value of
of the Xplorer GLX to Perform 5 trials acceleration due to
stop recording. gravity and percentage
error

Figure 1. Set up for Free-Fall Motion

B. Projectile Motion
Clamp the Projectile
Launcher to one end of a
sturdy table with the
launcher aimed away from
the table.
Insert plastic ball in the
projectile launcher and
use ramrod to cock it at
the short range position
Measure the vertical
displacement from
the bottom of the
ball
Fire launcher 5 horizontal displacement, vertical
times
Attach two Photogate
Connect Time-of-Flight
Mounting Bracket to
Accessory to the Xplorer
Launcher and connect
GLX using extender
two photogates to the
cable
Xplorer GLX
Run the timing program of the
Take a piece of white
Xplorer GLX and set to
paper on the floor and
measure the time between the
place the carbon paper
three successive signals The
on top of the white
time and velocity should
paper and tape it in
appear on the monitor of the
place.
GLX.
Measure the horizontal Press on the Play Button of the
displacement from the Xplorer GLX to get the time of
release to the landing flight from the release to the
point landing point of the ball.
Record data and calculate
displacement and percentage
difference
Figure 2. Projectile Motion Set
up
DATA AND RESULTS

A. Free Fall Motion Table 1

Trial Vertical Displacement (m) Velocity (m/s) Acceleration Due to
Gravity (m/s2)
1 0.3 2.47 10.17
2 0.3 2.44 9.92
3 0.3 2.47 10.17
4 0.3 2.52 10.58
5 0.3 2.36 9.28
Experimental Acceleration due to Gravity, g average 10.02 m/s2
Theoretical Value g 9.80 m/s2
Percentage Error 2.24%

B. Projectile Motion
Table 2
Trial tGLX (s) VGLX (m/s) ymeasured (m) ycalculated (m) xmeasured (m) xcalculated (m)
1 0.66 3.09 1.14 1.12 1.85 1.77
2 0.65 3.08 1.14 1.07 1.84 1.73
3 0.66 3.09 1.14 1.12 1.85 1.77
4 0.65 3.10 1.14 1.06 1.86 1.75
5 0.65 3.11 1.14 1.06 1.86 1.75
Average 1.14 1.09 1.85 1.75
Percent Difference 4.48% 5.56%

INTERPRETATION OF DATA AND RESULTS

A. Free Fall Motion

The first half of the experiment deals with a picket fence that was dropped vertically through a photogate
head. Five trials was done with the same vertical displacement of 0.3 m. The velocity (m/s) and the vertical
distance of the object used was measured through the use of Xplorer GLX. With the vertical displacement
and velocity, acceleration due to gravity can be solve using the formula 𝑔 = 𝑣 2 ⁄2𝑦 , where v is the velocity
and y is the vertical displacement. Table 1 shows that the values obtained are close to each other. Having a
standard of 9.8m/s2, comparison of data was done. The experimental acceleration due to gravity resulted
10.02m/s2 which is undeniably close to the theoretical value. Solving for percentage error was also done to
see how close the experimental and theoretical values are. The experiment showed that there is 2.24% error,
hence it is preferred having a % error less than 5%. Freefall is a special case of motion with constant
acceleration, because acceleration due to gravity is always constant and downward. This is true even when
an object is thrown upward or has zero velocity.
 Figure 3. Diagram for Free Fall motion
B. Projectile Motion
The second half of the experiment deals with projectile. Same as the previous set up, five trials
was done and Xplorer GLX was used however Time-of-Flight and projectile launcher was added. The
measured vertical displacement was 1.14 m, whereas the average of the calculated value was 1.09 m. While
the horizontal displacement having a measurement ranging from 1.85-1.86 m, its average is 1.75 m. Solving
for the percent difference gives how accurate the execution of the experiment was. The solved percent
difference for both calculated and measured values of horizontal and vertical displacement was small. For
the vertical displacement, 4.48% and the vertical displacement was 5.56%. The little difference represents
that values from the calculations using formulas shown below are close to the actual measured values.

Figure 4. Diagram for Projectile Motion

CONCLUSION

In the Free Fall motion experiment, the objective was to verify the value of acceleration due to gravity
which is 9.8 m/s2. Results from the experiment showed that the experimental value obtained which is
10.02m/s2 is close to the theoretical value. It also showed that there is a 2.24% error however it is less than
5% so the values are still close to each other. The projectile motion part of the experiment, the objective was
to predict the horizontal and vertical displacement of a ball shot at an angle with the use of formulas. Results
showed that the values of the measured and calculated horizontal and vertical displacements are close to
each other. It means that the measured displacements can be calculated using formulas but there are some
differences. The result showed a 4.48% and 5.56% difference. One possible source of error is that
measurements is not always clearly defined. Another thing is environmental factors such as vibrations, noise
and even air resistance. Instruments also contributes to sources of error if not calibrated properly.
REFERENCES

Introduction to Free Fall. The Physics Classroom. Retrieved from:

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/1DKin/Lesson-5/Introduction

Projectile Motion. The Physics Classroom. Retrieved from:

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/vectors/Lesson-2/What-is-a-Projectile

Experiment 1: Motion. Physics 111: Laboratory Manual. De La Salle Medical Health and Sciences Institute.