Education Technology


Science: Vernier - Picket Fence Free Fall

by Vernier Software & Technology

Overview

In this activity, students will measure the acceleration of a freely falling body (g) to better than 0.5% precision with the help of a Picket Fence and a Photogate.

Key Steps

  • Image

    Students set up this experiment by attaching a photogate to a large ring stand and start the EasyData App in order to collect free fall data.

  • Image

    As students start the data collection they drop the picket fence between the arms of the photogate. Students then analyze the distance vs time as well as the velocity vs time graphs that are created to calculate the acceleration of a freely falling body (g).