Question

What is the subject's importance of picket fence free fall experiment to physics and the world?

Answer 1

When the object in free fall is near the surface of the earth, the gravitational force on

it is nearly constant. As a result, an object in free fall accelerates downward at a constant rate.

This acceleration is usually represented with the symbol g.

n this experiment, you will have the advantage of using a very precise timer connected to the

calculator and a Photogate. The Photogate has a beam of infrared light that travels from one side

to the other. It can detect whenever this beam is blocked. You will drop a piece of clear plastic

with evenly spaced black bars on it, called a Picket Fence. As the Picket Fence passes through

the Photogate, the LabPro or CBL 2 interface will measure the time from the leading edge of one

bar blocking the beam until the leading edge of the next bar blocks the beam. This timing

continues as all eight bars pass through the Photogate. From these measured times, the program

will calculate the velocities and accelerations for this motion and graphs will be plotted.