Before you start please take note of the following recommendations/warnings:
- After you open the setup file you download from the Physics 141 website,
please use the "Save As" option from the file menu to save
it with a filename that identifies the user (that is you) and the date
of the experiment. For example, I would name the file that I save for
the first part of this lab FreeFallWolfs091409.
- It is highly recommended that you email the data you collect today
to your u.rochester.edu email account to give you the opportunity to
fine-tune the analysis of the data collected. Please make sure that
both partners have access to the data outside the classroom. You can
also copy the data to a USB keychain (connection available on the back
of the key board).
In this laboratory we will conduct two experiments to measure the gravitational
acceleration g. For each experiment you are expected to obtain
your best estimate for g, including an error estimate, and compare
the value you measure with the accepted value. Do they agree, or do they
disagree?
In the first experiment, we will use the free fall of a picket fence
to determine the gravitational acceleration. The manual
for this experiment can be downloaded in pdf format by clicking here.
In the second experiment, we will use the motion of a cart on an inclined
plane to determine the gravitational acceleration. In addition, we will
compare the theoretical dependence of its acceleration on mass and angle
with the measured dependence. The manual for this experiment
can be downloaded in pdf format by clicking here.
Both experiments measure the same paramters, and you must make a comparison
between both results. Do both results agree with each other? Do the results
agree with the accepted value of g? Note: you will need to to
a carefull error analysis in order to be able to draw any conclusions.
The laboratory report for this laboratory will be due on Friday September
22, 2023 at 12 pm. The lab reports must be submitted in pdf format using the phy141 laboratory drop box. Use the following format for the name of the lab report you are submitting: Exp#-LastName-FirstName-StudentID.pdfwhere # is the experiments number (1, 2, 3, 4, or 5), LastName is your last name, FirstName is your first name, and StudentID is you student ID number. The laboratory report should describe the results of
both measurements of g. Use the guidelines in "How
to write a lab report" as a starting point for your report.
Make sure you include whatever graphs are needed to support your conclusions,
and provide a detailed error analysis of your results.
Quick links:
- Lab 1, Experiment 1:
- Lab 1, Experiment 2:
- Error analysis documents:
- Other usefull documents:
Last updated on
Thursday, September 21, 2023 12:51
