Physics

Velocity = Displacement / Time

Acceleration = Change in velocity / Time

Equations of motion

• v = u + at
• s = ut + 1/2at2
• v2 = u2 + 2as

Experiment

• A ball bearing is held by an electromagnet at height, h, above a trapdoor switch.
• When the switch is thrown from A to B, the circuit is broken and the ball begins to fall.
• At that instant the stopclock starts timing.
• When the ball strikes the trapdoor, the lower circuit is broken and the clock is stopped.
• The height is measured using the metre rule.
• The timing is repeated several times, and an average value of t is recorded.
• The experiment is repeated for a number of height and a graph of h against t2 is plotted.
• As h = 1/2g t2, the gradient of the line will be 1/2g.