Terminal Velocity Essay

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19/04/12 Physics Lab Report : determination of Terminal Velocity Maksym Panas This lab investigates the velocity of a ball bearing falling through glycerin. A small metal ball bearing was released into tube,140 cm long, containing glycerin. When released , the bearing accelerated to terminal velocity and than maintained the speed until the bottom of the tube. I decided to find the clearings terminal velocity by comparing the distance taken for t to travel through the glycerin and the time taken to do so. Research Question : What is the terminal velocity of a ball bearing in glycerin? Independent Variable: Distance travelled Dependent Variable : Time Controlled Variable(s): Height of Release Apparatus : * Glass Tube * Glycerin * Ball Bearings (3-4 mm in diameter, iron) * Clamps * Meter Stick * Stand * Iphone’s “Stopwatch app” Using a meter stick every 5 cm incresements were pointed out on to the side of the tube. Care was taken to start the measurements at the top level of glycerin, the bearing was released at the top of the tube. The time was measured by a group of Three people , one releasing the bearing ,second carefully observing the bearing as it fell through glycerin, third handling the stopwatch .Second person called out “lap” every time the bearing passed one of the 5 cm marks on the tube, after this call a person holding a stopwatch was supposed to obtain the split time between each of the 5 cm markers. The uncertainty in the distance is ±0.5 cm because the ruler had 1 cm markings. The uncertainty in the time was calculated by using the equation (max time – min time)/2. Occasionally the bearing hit the side of the tube on it’s descent , this would decrease it’s velocity , when this happened consistently throughout one trial the results were ignored . If the bearing

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