measuring acceleration due to gravity lab

MEASURING ACCELERATION DUE TO GRAVITY LAB FREE

In this experiment the initial velocity u is 0 metres per second, the time can be measured using a stopwatch or light gates, the distance can be measured using a ruler and the variable of interest is the acceleration which in this case is equivalent to g. Where a is acceleration, u is the initial velocity and v is final velocity. From F = ma = mg, we know it is related to G in the following way, On Earth it has a value of g = 9.81 metres per second squared, since G = 0.00000000006674 meters cubed per kilogram per second squared, the mass of Earth M = 5,972,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 kilograms and the radius of Earth is r = 6,371,000 metres. In the lab, it can be determined by measuring the time ( t) it takes for an object to fall from a height ( s), using the equations of motion for constant acceleration in a straight line: This tells us that the acceleration due to the gravitational field of Earth must also be the same for all masses. Newton’s work was inspired by Galileo who dropped objects of different masses from the leaning tower of Pisa to show that the time they took to reach the ground is independent of their mass.

MEASURING ACCELERATION DUE TO GRAVITY LAB FREE

When people talk about the gravity of a planet, in general what they mean is the free fall acceleration due to its gravitational field g (which is dependent on the mass that is responsible for the gravitational field) and not G (which is a constant). His theory describes the force F between two objects of masses m1 and m2 separated by a distance r. It is important to note that Newton’s theory is that of the Universal gravitational constant G (also called 'Big G'). Jump to:Īs the apocryphal story goes, Sir Isaac Newton sat beneath an apple tree, when an apple fell onto his head and inspired his work on the theory of gravitation. Nevertheless, gravity is something we can measure here on Earth. On small scales however, gravity appears to act much weaker than its counterparts. Of the four known forces of nature, gravity is the strongest on large scales - it has an ability to lock planets, stars and galaxies in their orbits.

Measuring acceleration due to gravity lab