Mechanics > Kinematics > Motion in One Dimension DCS# 2C30.65
AIR RESISTANCE
 
APPARATUS
coffee filters 101-05
motion detector with grounded shield
 101-05-B1
computer interface box
 113
laptop
 206
two-meter stick
 113
DESCRIPTION
A falling coffee filter quickly reaches terminal velocity.  Use LoggerPro to plot position vs time and velocity vs. time.
Compare terminal velocities for different numbers of nested filters.  The data support a drag force proportional to v2.
The low-tech version:  Simultaneousy release a stack of four filters from a height of 2 m, and two filter from 1 m, to show that they land at the same time.

NOTES
The filters flutter, so the graphs are a bit messy.

REFERENCES
TPT 37(3), 181 (1999).