A student is investigating gravity and falling objects. She drops three balls and times how long it takes each ball to hit the ground

Answer 1

That sounds like an interesting experiment! To investigate gravity and the behavior of falling objects, the student can perform a series of steps to measure the time it takes for each ball to hit the ground after being dropped from a certain height. Here's a basic outline of how she can conduct her experiment:

Materials Needed:

1. Three balls of different sizes or weights (for example, a tennis ball, a marble, and a basketball)
2. A stopwatch or timer
3. A measuring tape or ruler (to measure the height from which the balls are dropped)
4. A flat, open area without obstacles for safe dropping

Procedure:

1. Set Up the Experiment:

   • Choose a height (e.g., 2 meters) from which to drop the balls. Use the measuring tape to ensure accuracy.

2. Drop the First Ball:

   • Hold the first ball at the designated height and ensure it is not given any initial push.
   • Start the stopwatch the moment the ball is released and stop it when it hits the ground.
   • Record the time taken for the first ball to reach the ground.

3. Repeat for the Other Balls:

   • Repeat the process for the second ball and then the third ball, ensuring to drop them from the same height and under similar conditions.
   • For each ball, record the time taken to hit the ground.

4. Repeat Trials:

   • To ensure accuracy, consider dropping each ball multiple times (e.g., 3 times each) and calculating the average time for each ball.

5. Analyze the Data:

   • Compare the times recorded for each ball.
   • Discuss whether the mass and size of the balls affected the falling times (according to the law of gravity, they should all hit the ground simultaneously, barring air resistance).

Conclusion:

• After conducting the experiment and analyzing the data, the student can conclude about the effects of gravity on falling objects. The expectation based on Galilean physics is that in a vacuum, where air resistance is negligible, all objects fall at the same rate regardless of mass. In the presence of air, the shapes and sizes of the balls may affect their falling times due to air resistance.

Additional Considerations:

• Discuss possible sources of error, such as timing inaccuracies or external factors like wind.
• If the student wants to delve deeper, she could explore how different heights affect fall times or conduct the experiment in a vacuum chamber to eliminate air resistance.