Effect of Object's Weight on Its Terminal Velocity as it is Falling

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Effect of Object's Weight on Its Terminal Velocity as it is Falling

Aim

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To investigate how the weight of an object affects its terminal

velocity as it is falling.

Prediction

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I predict that when the weight of a falling object is increased the

terminal velocity will also increase.

I think this because as you increase an objects weight it has a larger

downwards force. In order for the object to travel at a constant

speed, i.e. terminal velocity, another force must match the downward

force. This force is air resistance. So to make air resistance the

same size as the downward force, the object has to be travelling at a

fast enough velocity. A heavier weight will accelerate to a higher

terminal velocity before these two forces are balanced than a lighter

one. This is because air resistance increases when velocity increases

as more air particles collide with the object, which slows the

acceleration of the object down. So the heavier the object the larger

the downward force so more air resistance is needed to balance the two

forces so a higher velocity is needed.

If the weight of the object is doubled I predict that the terminal

velocity will also be doubled. I think this because when the weight of

an object is doubled it has a twice as large downward force. So in

order to balance this doubled force air resistance has to produce the

size force as it, (this is when the object reaches its terminal

velocity). In order for this to do this, the object must double its

speed so air resistance doubles and so matching the downward force.

Falling Masses

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Method

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In this experiment we are going to drop a paper cone with different

sized weights in it from a height. Using a stopwatch we will time how

long it takes for the cone to reach the floor. A stopwatch is used

because it is very precise to the nearest 1000th of a second whereas a

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