Analysis:

Part A: Motion of a Falling Object (Car)

1. Construct a position-time graph using your data. Draw the smooth curve of best fit. Remember that a good graph has a clear title and clearly labelled axes (with quantity being measured and unit of measurement).

2. According to your position-time graph, what type of motion did the object seem to undergo?

3. Construct a velocity-time graph using your data. You may use various methods to draw this graph: tangents, use of the kinematics equations to find the velocity at any time since the acceleration is constant, or close analysis of the data tables. Draw the line of best fit. Calculate the slope of the line. What does the slope represent?

4. If acceleration is supposed to be 9.8 m/s² [down], determine the percentage error of your value.

% error = [(measured value - accepted value) / accepted value] 100

5. State some possible causes of the error in your measured value. What techniques could be used to correct it?

6. Using your velocity-time graph, determine the maximum displacement of the object. Does this match the height from which the object was dropped?

Part B: Motion of a Falling Object (seat cushion)

1. Construct position-time and velocity-time graphs for the seat cushion. You can plot the average velocity for each second (displacement between data points / time interval of 1 s) at the midpoint of the time interval (at 0.5 s, next average speed at 1.5 s) to properly plot the velocity-time graph.

2. How is this motion different than the motion of the falling object in Part A?

3. Can you suggest a reason why the seat cushion displayed a different type of motion than the car?

4. Perform the following experiment. Drop a sheet of paper and a pen at the same time from the same height. How does the time required for the fall vary for the objects? Now crumple the sheet of paper and perform the trial again. How do the times required for the fall compare now?

Table A. Sports Car falling off a cliff Time ( s ) Position ( on (down ] ) O 49 19.4 4 41.1 79.2 123 176 240 Table B: Seat Cushion falling off a cliff Time (5 ) Position (on ( docan] ) O 4.5 12 21 31 415 57.5 62 72