Assignment

Question 1

Method

Answer 1

I released a wooden baton from different heights through a tube, using pegs to change the height of the baton and make sure its initial speed is at rest. The baton length is measured with a ruler and the different release heights are measured using a meter stick. At the bottom of the tube, the baton passes through a light gate connected to an electronic timer.

Question 2

Section 1

Answer 2

The gravitational field strength (g) of a planet is the weight an object will experience per unit mass. Weight is the force an object experiences due to the force of gravity, and it acts towards the centre of a gravitational field, for example, the centre of a planet. All objects with mass have a gravitational field, and the greater the mass of the object, the greater it’s gravitational field. (1- BBC Bitesize)

W=mg
where W= weight in Newtons (N), m= mass of object in kilograms (kg), and g= gravitational field strength in Newtons per kilogram (N/kg).

Question 3

Section 2:

Answer 3

An object can only accelerate when acted upon by an unbalanced force. Acceleration is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction, and is defined as the change in velocity of an object per second. All objects in free fall have the same acceleration towards the centre of the Earth, in the absence of all external forces such as air resistance. This is because when an object is in free fall, the only force acting on the object (excluding external forces) is gravity. The acceleration of an object towards a gravitational field is known as the acceleration due to gravity. The acceleration due to gravity on Earth is 9.8ms^-2, meaning all objects will fall towards Earth with this acceleration, regardless of their mass. The greater the height an object is dropped from, the greater its final speed will be as it will have fallen for a greater time and therefore accelerated for longer. (2- Inspirit)

F=ma
Where F= unbalanced force acting on the object in Newtons (N), m= mass in kilograms (kg), a= acceleration in meters per second squared (ms^-2)

Question 3

Section 3:

Answer 3

For Newton’s Law of Gravitation, we have this formula:

F=(GMm)/r^2

F is the force between two objects in Newtons

r is the distance between the centres of both objects in meters (m)

G is the universal constant of gravitation (6.67x10^-11m^3kg^-1s^-2)

M is the mass of Earth in kilograms (kg)

m is the mass of the object (kg)

If we combine this equation with F=ma, we get the equation for the acceleration due to gravity:

(combine equations and also combine W=mg and F=ma)

This is why acceleration due to gravity does not change with different masses of objects. (2- Inspirit)