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Sensing and Datalogging for Science Education |
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Sciencescope |
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Last updated 31st July 2008 Sensors Logbooks PriceLists Investigations 2008 Catalogue |
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Falling objectThe acceleration
due to the Earth's gravity is the same for all objects. This may seem strange
because everyone knows that if you drop a feather and a coin at the same time
the coin will reach the floor first. However we can explain the difference in
terms of air resistance. Air resistance has a greater effect on the motion of
the feather. The weight of the feather is much lower than the weight of the
coin. The air resistance force on the feather balances the force due to its
weight and so the feather floats to earth with constant speed. The air
resistance force on the coin is much less than the weight of the coin. The
forces on the coin are therefore unbalanced and so the coin accelerates and
reaches the ground before the feather. If
you were to drop objects where there was no atmosphere and therefore no air
resistance you would get a quite different result. An astronaut on the moon
dropped a hammer and a feather. The hammer and feather had the same acceleration
due to gravity. You
are going to study the fall of a ball.
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