Featured Ride: Drop Tower

Materials Needed: Stopwatch, horizontal and vertical accelerometers, calculator

Hints:

1) Apparent weightlessness is a characteristic of systems in free fall.

2) F_w = mg
3) d_y = v_it + 1/2 gt²

Questions to Be Answered:

Intermediate:

1) How long is the free fall time on the ride?

2) How can it be demonstrated that riders are really in free fall during the ride?

Advanced:

3) Compare the deceleration of the ride at its end to g (acceleration due to gravity on Earth).

Investigative Steps: Describe your procedure here.

 

 

 

 

Data and Observations: Record and organize your results here.

 

 

 

 

Calculations and Conclusions: Explain your answers to the questions here.

 

 

 

 

From Kathleen Holley and Cheryl Brooks, Ft. Worth, TX