Experimental Determination of g
Physics 223
Dr. Hank Yochum
Fall 2000

Goal:
Your group is to accurately determine the acceleration of gravity.   

Procedure and Apparatus:
No procedure is given for this lab, YOU are to determine what procedure to follow.  There is one restriction: you must build a pendulum to determine g.  It is up to you, the experimenter, to design the experiment.  That is, you must determine: what to measure, how to build your pendulum, how you are going to calculate g, what measurement tools to use, and the uncertainty associated with your tools.  You will be graded on both your experimental design and your lab report. 

Your Lab Report:
You will complete a standard lab report with full data and error analysis (use the skills you acquired from the error lab!). One important aspect of reporting a precision measurement is to compare it with some standard (if such a standard exists).  Research what g is near our location and compare this to your measurement.  You need to also calculate what g is theoretically using Newton's law of gravitation.  For all calculations, mention all assumptions your calculation uses.  You must derive all physics equations used in your lab report.  This means starting with a   fundamental equation and arriving at the equation you are using.

Prelab:
Tell me how you are going to determine g.  The prelab is not a group activity, you must come up with your description alone.  You may need a diagram of your experiment in your description. 

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last updated 9/02/00.