In class today we dropped a racket ball beneath a sensor in order to describe the motion of the ball in free fall. We collected our data through a sensor that determines the distance of an object from its current location. The sensor connects to a LabQuest that connects to the program Logger Pro, which copies the data collected and forms a position versus time graph as well as a velocity versus time graph. In order to have the data fit the situation of the bouncing ball, we zeroed the sensor so the ground was considered as zero and above the ground was considered positive. These setting will help us get the best results. The position versus time and the velocity versus time graphs are shown below:
In the position v. time …show more content…
The velocity arrow is larger and pointing up because at this point in time the ball’s velocity is increasing in the positive direction, away from the ground. On the second point the ball has a velocity of 1.3 m/s and an acceleration of -9.8 m/s/s. The velocity arrow is now smaller than before and pointing in the positive direction because the racket ball is slowing down in the positive direction at this point in time. The object is at rest during the third point and an acceleration of -9.8. There is not velocity arrow because the object is at rest. When the ball was at the fourth point, the object’s velocity was -1.3 m/s and the acceleration was -9.8 m/s/s. The velocity arrow is small and pointing down because the ball’s velocity is slowly increasing in the negative direction, toward the ground. At the final point on the diagram, the ball had a velocity of -2.1 m/s and an acceleration of -9.8 m/s/s. The velocity arrow is larger and pointing down because the ball’s velocity is increasing in the negative direction. As you can see, the acceleration arrows remain the same size. This is because acceleration is constant and is always negative in this situation. As the ball gains velocity, it is slowing down, making the acceleration negative. Once it changes direction the velocity is increasing in the negative direction, making the acceleration
In the position v. time …show more content…
The velocity arrow is larger and pointing up because at this point in time the ball’s velocity is increasing in the positive direction, away from the ground. On the second point the ball has a velocity of 1.3 m/s and an acceleration of -9.8 m/s/s. The velocity arrow is now smaller than before and pointing in the positive direction because the racket ball is slowing down in the positive direction at this point in time. The object is at rest during the third point and an acceleration of -9.8. There is not velocity arrow because the object is at rest. When the ball was at the fourth point, the object’s velocity was -1.3 m/s and the acceleration was -9.8 m/s/s. The velocity arrow is small and pointing down because the ball’s velocity is slowly increasing in the negative direction, toward the ground. At the final point on the diagram, the ball had a velocity of -2.1 m/s and an acceleration of -9.8 m/s/s. The velocity arrow is larger and pointing down because the ball’s velocity is increasing in the negative direction. As you can see, the acceleration arrows remain the same size. This is because acceleration is constant and is always negative in this situation. As the ball gains velocity, it is slowing down, making the acceleration negative. Once it changes direction the velocity is increasing in the negative direction, making the acceleration