Education Technology

Vernier - Air Resistance

Subject Area
Science: Physics: Forces and Motion
Level
9-12
Activity Time
50 Minutes
TI Calculator
TI-Nspire™ CX series
TI-Nspire™ CX CAS/CX II CAS
TI-Nspire Version
3.6
Accessories
CBR™ 2 motion sensor
Sensor - Motion Detector

Vernier - Air Resistance

Activity Overview

In this lesson, students will use the motion detector to understand the motion detector to analyze the air resistance of coffee filters.

Objectives

  • Observe the effect of air resistance on falling coffee filters.
  • Determine how air resistance and mass affect the terminal velocity of a falling object.
  • Choose between two competing force models for the air resistance on falling coffee filters.

About the Lesson

In this experiment, you will measure terminal velocity as a function of mass for falling coffee filters, and use the data to choose between the two models for the drag force. Coffee filters were chosen because they are light enough to reach terminal velocity in a short distance.

Subject Area
Science: Physics: Forces and Motion
Level
9-12
Activity Time
50 Minutes
TI Calculator
TI-Nspire™ CX series
TI-Nspire™ CX CAS/CX II CAS
TI-Nspire Version
3.6
Accessories
CBR™ 2 motion sensor
Sensor - Motion Detector
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