Describe a simple experiment to determine the acceleration due to gravity
An experiment to determine the acceleration due to gravity can be conducted by following these steps:
Materials:
- A tall building or tower (at least 30 meters tall)
- A timer or stopwatch
- A small object that can be dropped (e.g. a ball, a stone, a piece of paper)
Method:
1. Go to the top of the building or tower with the timer/stopwatch and the object.
2. Hold the object at arm's length and allow it to drop straight down to the ground.
3. Start the timer/stopwatch as soon as the object is released.
4. Stop the timer/stopwatch as soon as the object hits the ground.
5. Record the time taken for the object to fall.
6. Repeat steps 2-5 multiple times to get an average time for the object to fall.
7. Use the formula d=1/2 gt^2, where d is the distance the object falls (which is the height of the building), g is the acceleration due to gravity, and t is the time taken for the object to fall, to calculate the value of g.
This experiment assumes that there is negligible air resistance affecting the motion of the object.