Acceleration of gravity on day three

September 01, 2022

I opened with a review of the past two days which provided a focus on the shape of the data on a graph providing insight into the nature of the physical system. In this case, if the data forms a straight line, then the object is falling at a constant velocity. If the data forms a parabolic curve, then the velocity is changing and is changing at a constant rate. Curves from last week, Monday, and Wednesday were put on the board.

I then outlined the procedure and demonstrated drops from one meter.

Alana records, Myena measured heights, Sanjay performed dropping and timing

Groups of three are still optimal in this laboratory. This frees up the meter stick holder for the two meter drop height.

Sanjay dropping from three meters

This was the first term that a three meter drop height was returned to the laboratory. Rather than obtain the three meter drop inside, the three meter drop was done from the stairs. Sanjay is holding the ball at the three meter mark.

Myena watches the ball midflight

With a three meter station extant, the south post logically became the four meter drop station.

And the north post became the five meter drop station.

In the morning class there was only a single set of data. But by the end of the afternoon class there were more results. This permitted building a table with raw and percentage errors. This opened up the ability to ask the question, "Which of these values is correct?" All? None? Some? One? Only after asking this question did I use the Internet to reveal the accepted value and run the raw and percentage error calculations. The presence of a new student prompted coverage of the sample laboratory.