A student is investigating gravity and falling object. She drops three balls in times how long it takes each ball to hit the ground, which is most likely source of error.
The most likely source of error in this scenario could be air resistance. When an object falls through the atmosphere, it experiences air resistance, which opposes its motion and affects the time it takes to reach the ground. As the size, shape, and mass of the balls can vary, the impact of air resistance on each ball may differ, causing discrepancies in the measured times.
Other potential sources of error could include variations in the release point of the balls, the presence of external forces (such as wind), inconsistencies in timing measurements, and limitations of the measuring equipment.