Background Information: The amount of air resistance an object encounters is directly proportional to its surface area and velocity. Terminal velocity,
vt, is achieved when the air resistance equals the object's weight and the object can no longer accelerate. It reaches a state of dynamic equilibrium.
Experimental Procedure/Data:
Each group needs three members: holder, measurer, recorder. Each group needs three stacks of filters (1 filter, 2 filters, 4 filters) and two meter sticks.
The
purpose
of the lab is to discover the release height for each group of filters that will enable two groups, which have reached terminal velocity, to reach the floor at the same time.
Data Table I: 2 filters
Holder: Experiment with simultaneously releasing the groups containing 1 filter and 2 filters to determine a best estimate for the appropriate release heights that allow the two groups to strike the ground simultaneously. When ready, hold each group steady so that their distance above the ground can be measured. Make sure that the flat side is facing the ground.
Measurer: Measure the mass of each group of filters. Do NOT multiply the total by the mass of one filter - MEASURE each group and record your information in the data table provided below. Then measure how high each group of filters is above the ground just as they are released. ALL filters should be released AT OR ABOVE 1.5 meter. Record to the nearest 1.0 cm.
Recorder: Record your heights in Data Chart #1. Repeat two more times. Input the best trial's results in the final column. If all trials seem equivalent, calculate an average value.
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