"Picket Fence Free Fall"

• Log on to the computer
• Open "Logger Pro"
• Open, File ; navigate to the "Physics with Vernier" folder
• Open Experiment"05 Picket Fence Free Fall"

Data collection

Part 1

Drop the picket fence through the photo gate.

Collect ten values for acceleration data points.

Analysis

1. List the max, min and calculate the average acceleration from your ten gravity data values.
2. Cut and paste a copy of the distance vs. time and velocity vs. time graphs for your activity.
   1. Describe the shape of the of the distance vs. time graph for the free fall. Does your description make sense given the motion of the "picket fence"? (Refer to your text section 2.7)
   2. Describe the shape of the of the velocity vs. time graph for the free fall. Does your description make sense given the motion of the "picket fence"? (Refer to your text section 2.7)
3. Calculate the experimental precision. The difference between the maximum and minimum values divided by two is the precision of your experimental data set. State it as "Your average value +/- your precision" Round to one decimal place.
4. Experimental uncertainty. Express the uncertainty as a percentage of the acceleration. Divide your precision by your average value and multiply by 100. This gives you % uncertainty.
5. Compare your experimentally found value of acceleration due to gravity to the generally accepted value of "g" which is 9.80 m/s/s. Does the accepted value fall within the range of your values? If so, your experiment agrees with the accepted value.

Questions to explore:

1. Present a hypothesis about the value of "g" if one were to toss the picket fence up through the photo gate. If you have time you may wish to test your hypothesis.

Modified from "Physics with Computers Using logger Pro" by K Appel, et. al. Vernier Software