Mechanics > Kinematics > Motion in One-Dimension > Measurement of g DCS# 1C30.xx
FREE FALL MOTION GRAPHS WITH SONIC RANGER
basketball and motion sensor
APPARATUS
rubber ball 107-02-E5
motion sensor 101-05-B1
laptop
 206
LabPro interface
 107-02-B3
clamp 202-01-E1
 
DESCRIPTION
Use the motion sensor to monitor a bouncing ball and plot position, velocity and acceleration vs time.

The value of the acceleration due to gravity is best obtained by fitting a regression line to a portion of the velocity graph.
 
NOTES

Keep stray objects, in particular the sensor cable, out of the 15° cone of the sensor.  Sensor cannot detect ball when it is closer than 0.4 m.

It may take several trials to get one run in which the ball remains in the sensor's field of view.

The experiment file entitled "sports.mbl" has the x, v, and a vs t graphs displayed with appropriately scaled axes.  Zero the sensor with the ball on the floor.  Alternatively, go to setup > sensors > details to set up graphs so that the origin is at the floor and displacements toward the sensor are positive.  Enter the correct room temperature.