Terminal Velocity Lab Names Courtney Carbett, Tyler

Christner, Luke Sprankle,

AP Physics 1 Rayna Fenstermacher, Eve
Barnett

After completing the video analysis for each trial, copy the graphs and relevant information into the
following charts. Each group member must complete the video analysis for at least one of the trials
and all trials must be completed. After completing the analysis questions as a group, turn in this
sheet only once for your group. Make sure that all group member’s names are entered
above.

Make Sure to record the mass of your coffee filter and playground ball to be used for the
calculations:

Mass of Playground ball (kg) 0.250 Mass of Coffee Filter (kg) 0.00092

Data Collection (From Video Analysis)

Playground Ball

Position-Time Graph Velocity-Time Graph

Video Analysis Performed By: Luke Sprankle

Terminal Velocity (Slope of the Position Graph) -6.676 m/s

Average Acceleration (Slope of the Velocity Graph) − 310. 41 𝑚/𝑠2

Height of Release (Initial y value) 2.422 m

 1 Coffee Filter

Position-Time Graph Velocity-Time Graph

Video Analysis Performed By: Tyler Christner

Terminal Velocity (Slope of the Position Graph) 1.33m/s

Average Acceleration (Slope of the Velocity Graph) .96 m/s²

Height of Release (Initial y value) 2.033 m

2 Coffee Filters

Position-Time Graph Velocity-Time Graph

Video Analysis Performed By: Luke Sprankle

Terminal Velocity (Slope of the Position Graph) 1.46 m/s

Average Acceleration (Slope of the Velocity Graph) 1.887 m/s²

Height of Release (Initial y value) 2.145 m

 4 Coffee Filters
Position-Time Graph Velocity-Time Graph

Video Analysis Performed By: Rayna

Terminal Velocity (Slope of the Position Graph) 2.245 m/s

Average Acceleration (Slope of the Velocity Graph) 2.752 m/s²

Height of Release (Initial y value) 2.327 m

6 Coffee Filters
Position-Time Graph Velocity-Time Graph

Video Analysis Performed By: Rayna

Terminal Velocity (Slope of the Position Graph) 2.788 m/s

Average Acceleration (Slope of the Velocity Graph) 4.143 m/s²

Height of Release (Initial y value) 2.313 m

 8 Coffee Filters

Position-Time Graph Velocity-Time Graph

Video Analysis Performed By: Rayna

Terminal Velocity (Slope of the Position Graph) 2.707 m/s

Average Acceleration (Slope of the Velocity Graph) 4.675 m/s²

Height of Release (Initial y value) 2.31 m

10 Coffee Filters
Position-Time Graph Velocity-Time Graph

Video Analysis Performed By: Rayna

Terminal Velocity (Slope of the Position Graph) 1.089 m/s

Average Acceleration (Slope of the Velocity Graph) 3.909 m/s²

Height of Release (Initial y value) 1.96 m

 1 Fold
Position-Time Graph Velocity-Time Graph

Video Analysis Performed By: Courtney

Terminal Velocity (Slope of the Position Graph) 2.134 m/s

Average Acceleration (Slope of the Velocity Graph) 2.296 m/s²

Height of Release (Initial y value) 2.095m

2 Folds
Position-Time Graph Velocity-Time Graph

Video Analysis Performed By: Courtney

Terminal Velocity (Slope of the Position Graph) 3.44 m/s

Average Acceleration (Slope of the Velocity Graph) 7.17 m/s²

Height of Release (Initial y value) 2.00m

 3 Folds
Position-Time Graph Velocity-Time Graph

Video Analysis Performed By: Tyler Christner

Terminal Velocity (Slope of the Position Graph) 3.74 m/s

Average Acceleration (Slope of the Velocity Graph) 8.15 m/s²

Height of Release (Initial y value) 2.00m

Analysis Questions
Part A: Comparing the terminal velocity of different objects

Using the data from the playground ball and the coffee filter, calculate the Weight, Potential Energy
at the release point, and the Kinetic Energy as the object hit the ground. Then use the concepts of
Energy Conservation to determine the amount of work that air resistance did to each object as it
fell to the ground and calculate the average force that air resistance applied to the falling objects.

Playground Ball Coffee Filter

Mass (kg) 0.250 kg 0.00092 kg

Weight (N) 2.45 N 0.00902 N

Potential Energy - Top (J) 5.94 J 0.0183 J

Kinetic Energy - Bottom (J) 5.57 J 0.000814 J

Work Lost (J) 0.370 J 0.0175 J

Avg. Force of Air Resistance (N) 0.150 N 0.00862 N

Questions:

1. How is the position vs. time graphs for the coffee filter different from the graph of the
playground ball? Explain the differences.
The position vs. time graph for the playground ball has less points because it was falling at a
faster rate. The terminal velocity of the playground ball graph is much higher than the terminal
velocities of the coffee filters.

2. How is the velocity vs. time graphs for the coffee filter different from the graph of the ball?
Explain the differences.
The average velocity of the playground ball is much higher than the average velocities of the
coffee filters.

3. When comparing the terminal velocity for the filter and the playground ball, did both of your
objects reach terminal velocity? How could you tell by looking at the graphs created in the lab?
Yes both objects reached terminal velocity. You can tell because the graph’s slope became
constant.

4. How did the average force of air resistance compare to the weight of the coffee filter? Does this
make sense? Explain.
The average force of air resistance was less compared to the weight of the coffee filters the more
we added. This makes sense because the surface area remained the same but the higher mass
created a higher force against air resistance.

5. How did the average force of air resistance compare to the weight of the playground ball? Does
this make sense? Explain.
The average force of air resistance was near irrelevant compared to the weight of the playground
ball. This makes sense because the mass of the playground ball was much more than the force of
the air resistance that the ball was affected with.
Parts B & C: Effects of Mass and Surface Area

Organize the terminal velocities that you found from the video analysis into the following chart in
order to more easily see the relationships. Enter the terminal velocity for 1 filter as the terminal
velocity for 0 folds

Terminal Velocity Terminal Velocity

(m/s) (m/s)

1 Filter 0.96 m/s 0 Folds 0.96 m/s

2 Filter 1.46 m/s 1 Fold 2.134 m/s

4 Filter 2.245 m/s 2 Folds 3.44 m/s

6 Filter 2.788 m/s 3 Folds 3.74 m/s

8 Filter 2.707 m/s

10 Filter 1.089 m/s

Questions:

6. What effect, if any, does the surface area of a falling object have on the terminal velocity? Explain why
you think this relationship exists.
As the surface area decreased the terminal velocities increased. This is caused by the fact that
the less surface area there is, the less air resistance.

7. What effect, it any, does the mass of a falling object have on the terminal velocity? Explain why you think
this relationship exists.
The higher the mass was the higher the terminal velocity was. This is because the more mass an
object has the higher the acceleration can reach due to the equation F=ma and the constant
force of gravity.

8. Do any of the values of the terminal velocities seem incorrect compared to the other values you found?
Where could errors have occurred during this lab that might have caused the terminal values to be
incorrectly determined? List at least 3.
The terminal velocity of the 10 coffee filters seems incorrect because it lower than the other
values. This could have been caused by graphing error, increased surface area due to poor
stacking or inconsistent releasing of the coffee filters.
9. Draw a free body diagram of the coffee filter as it is falling to the floor at the specified time: A) At the
instant the coffee filter is released. B) Before it reached terminal velocity. C) After it reached terminal
velocity.
At Release While Accelerating At Terminal Velocity

10. Describe what the acceleration graph of an object that is approaching terminal velocity would look like.
Explain your graph in terms of Newton’s 2nd Law.
The acceleration graph of an object that is reaching terminal velocity would slowly decrease in
slope and flatten out as it reaches terminal velocity. Newton’s second law explains this because
once it has reached its maximum velocity it can no longer accelerate anymore without a change
in mass or force.