For this lab we investigated the question, what is the relationship between surface area of an object and the terminal velocity? To find out the relationship, we used coffee filters for this lab. First, we taped together 16 coffee filters to create our maximum surface area, and then we used a motion sensor to find out the terminal velocity of the entire thing. We then repeated this technique but with the surface area of 8, 4, 2, and one coffee filters. To make sure the mass of the system remained constant, we stacked the multiple other coffee filters that were not being used specifically for the surface area portion of the lab on top of each other, therefore we always used 16 coffee filters for every data point we collected. through the data points we were able to find out that the equation is v = 3.296x ^ -1/2 which then represents how the velocity greatly decreases as more surface area is added to the system, and that it will continually go towards a horizontal asymptote.
For the second half of the lab we varied the mass of the system, so we started off with 1, and then we continued on with 2, 4, 8, and 16 filters stacked on top of each other. This then allowed for us to experiment with the idea of how the terminal velocity could potentially increase or decrease. For this we got the equation of v = √ m which then shows how the velocity will increase to a specific terminal velocity over time, no matter the mass of the system. For both experiments we used a motion sensor below the coffee filters to measure velocity.
Overall through this lab I learned that there is such thing as terminal velocity, and the idea of the parachute man is a very good example of it. Even as the man has an acceleration of -10 m/s he still will only be able to increase his velocity to a certain amount because of the idea of how the forces balance out when reaching the objects terminal velocity over time. I did also enjoy this lab because of how you can use such simple tools like coffee filters to explain this property of physics.
For the second half of the lab we varied the mass of the system, so we started off with 1, and then we continued on with 2, 4, 8, and 16 filters stacked on top of each other. This then allowed for us to experiment with the idea of how the terminal velocity could potentially increase or decrease. For this we got the equation of v = √ m which then shows how the velocity will increase to a specific terminal velocity over time, no matter the mass of the system. For both experiments we used a motion sensor below the coffee filters to measure velocity.
Overall through this lab I learned that there is such thing as terminal velocity, and the idea of the parachute man is a very good example of it. Even as the man has an acceleration of -10 m/s he still will only be able to increase his velocity to a certain amount because of the idea of how the forces balance out when reaching the objects terminal velocity over time. I did also enjoy this lab because of how you can use such simple tools like coffee filters to explain this property of physics.