Finding the Free fall Acceleration of a Golf Ball Bhavi Patel Physics 131 Lab section 30 Lab Room 210 9/19/12 Abstract:In this experiment, the goal was to find the free fall acceleration of a golf ball by using the measurements that were taken of the object while it was in motion (bouncing). We did this bydropping the ball from about 70cm from the ground and placing the ball under a motion sensor that was connected to a computer that recorded the position and time of the ball. After getting allthe data, we then used this information to create a position vs. time and a velocity vs. time graph,to figure out the ball’s velocity and acceleration. After doing that we figured out our free fall acceleration value of 9.89m/s^2 and compared it to the accepted free fall acceleration value of 9.81m/s^2. Lab Questions:1. When I first observed the data of position vs. time, the parabolic curves open upward, notdownward because the sensor measures the distance the ball goes during free fall, which is before the ball hits the floor. However, once the ball hits the ground it bounces back up faster, therefore the parabolic curves open upward. 2. 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4-6.00E+00-4.00E+00-2.00E+000.00E+002.00E+004.00E+006.00E+008.00E+001.00E+011.20E+01Time (s)Velocity (m/s) The slope of this graph physically represents the direction of acceleration. My data pointsforming a straight line signify that the object is constant since acceleration and gravity areboth constant.3. When the ball bounces off the floor and is moving upward the ball is no longer in free fall. This is because an object is in free fall when only gravity is the only force on it; in this case once the ball hits the floor gravity is no longer the only force on the ball. 4. Yes, it is possible for a ball’s velocity and acceleration to point in different directions, for instances if the ball is thrown in an upward direction then it would have a positive velocity but a negative acceleration because of gravity pushing down on the ball. In my velocity vs. time graph this would occur when the slope changes direction. 5. No, there are not moments where the ball’s velocity is zero because acceleration is always constant. However, at this point, the ball is in free fall until it comes in contact with the floor so before the golf ball comes into contact with the floor it will still remain in free fall. 6. The percent error for my results is 27.17%, this value was taken from the summary output using my data on excel in lab. Sources of error for this experiment can be air resistance, the ball not falling in the center of the motion sensor, not having a flat surface for where the ball was dropped and not clicking on start exactly when the ball was dropped in front of the motion sensor. I would change the experiment to reduce the error from one of these sources by either trying to find a more flat source so that ball will not bounce away from the motion sensor and by gently dropping the ball directly under the motion sensor without making any sudden movements while dropping the ball. 7. There is less gravity on the moon than there is gravity on earth, therefore there is not that much gravitational force on the ball when it is dropped. Because of this it would be moving at a slower velocity and acceleration than on earth, and therefore the position vs. time graph would have a less steep slope than the graph of the ball on earth. However, thevelocity vs. time graph would be at a slower rate but constant. 8. i. The time of the falling object will not change if the mass is doubled because gravity is independent. ii. A metal object and a piece of paper with the same mass will not have equal times if released from the same point above the ground because of air resistance and because a metal object weighs more than a feather.Conclusion:In my experiment, we figured out the free fall acceleration of the golf ball after it was dropped to the ground. We did this using the measurements from where it was dropped, a motionsensor, and a computer. From the data that we received, we were able to calculate our experimental value for the free fall acceleration, which is also known as the gravitational acceleration g. The free fall acceleration in my experiment was 9.89m/s^2. And because the expected value for g is 9.81m/s^2 my value is within accepted error. According to my data, the standard error was 27.19% which is within reasonable