MADE BY: JEFF HWANG

"Ball Drop Experiment: Applying Newton's Second Law of Motion"

I. Purpose/Problem Statement

The main goal of this experiment is to clearly show how Newton's Second Law of
Motion can be applied in different scenarios by carrying out a simple experiment with
different setups. Newton's law of acceleration can best be represented using the equation:
Net Force = Mass X Acceleration. With this equation, we know that when the mass of an
object stays constant and the acceleration increases, the net force will also increase. This
is true because the law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to
the magnitude of the net force. Thus, this experiment is carried out to show that increasing
the acceleration of an object will yield a greater net force.

Specifically, in this experiment, a golf ball with the same size, material, and mass
will be dropped from an inclined long ruler with a center groove just big enough to allow
the ball to slide down. The inclined ruler will be supported by a thick book, so that there will
be an inclined path for the ball to slide downwards. There will be three different setups
wherein another identical book will be stacked to yield a greater angle of inclination
(Steeper). At the end of the ruler, a small cardboard box will be put in place. Beside it,
another measuring ruler will be placed. The net force will be measured by how far the
cardboard box will move through the measuring ruler when the ball is dropped from the top
of the ruler with groove. Then, the distance will be measured. The greater the distance, the
greater the net force exerted by the golf ball. Since this experiment yields different results
depending on the surface, it is specifically carried out in smooth wooden floor with very
little friction. Overall, this will give a clear understanding on how Newton's law of
acceleration works. This is generally considered a simple, yet effective experiment for
anyone to carry out because all it takes is the person's effort to establish an orderly setup
and to be as unbiased or accurate as possible throughout the whole experiment. Although
it is simple, the experiment will still be an effective way to clearly see how acceleration
affects net force by the distance the cardboard box travels with different angles of
inclination. If the the setup of the ruler is steeper, then it will accelerate more due to the
effect of gravity. Thus, this experiment is carried out with the hope that people will greatly
appreciate Newton's laws of motion by clearly witnessing their practical applications and
interesting experiments.

II. Hypothesis

If the golf ball with the same size, material, and mass is dropped from the top of the
inclined ruler with central groove that forms a steeper angle, then the small cardboard box
will move a greater distance along the measuring ruler on the smooth and wooden floor.

III. Materials for the Experiment

1. One Golf Ball with the Same Size, Material, and Mass
2. 12-Inch Metal Ruler with a Central Groove (Enough Space for Golf Ball to Slide
Downwards)
3. Three Identical Textbooks
4. 12-Inch Measuring Ruler
5. Small Cardboard Box
6. Notebook and Pen

IV. Illustration of the Set-Up

V. Procedure

1. Prepare all materials and place them on a smooth wooden floor.

2. Isolate one textbook, then place the 12-inch metal ruler with central groove such that
the ruler will lean against the textbook in an inclined position. (Make sure that the area
at the tip of the ruler is leaning on the textbook)
3. At the base of the ruler, place the small cardboard box in a straight or stable position.
4. At the front tip of the cardboard box, align the 0 cm mark of the other 12-inch
measuring ruler and make sure that the ruler is straight too.
5. Position the golf ball in your hand on top of the metal ruler with groove, so that it is
ready to be dropped.
6. Drop the golf ball. (Make sure that the ball will drop from the 0 cm marking point to
avoid biased experiments)
7. After the ball rolls down the groove and hits the small cardboard box, observe its
movement.
8. After the cardboard box moves a certain distance, measure the distance from the foot
of the inclined ruler to the very first tip of the small cardboard box.
9. Record your data using notebook and pen.
10. Repeat steps 2-9 twice, but in each successive try, add one more identical textbook to
make the angle of inclination steeper.

VI. Citations

- N. (2013). Force =Mass X Acceleration. Retrieved October 17, 2016, from https://
m.youtube.com/watch?v=cEhFmbehhco

VII. Safety Informations

 First of all, make sure that the experiment is unbiased by establishing a consistent
setup of materials and their order. Make sure to always measure or start the journey of the
ball from the 0 cm marking of the rulers and carry out each step with caution in case of a
mistake. Other than that, since the golf ball is a small, yet heavy material, make sure that
you do not play around with it or accidentally have it in contact with your body because it
may ultimately harm you in different ways. The same goes for the rulers as they are sharp
and elongated objects. Also, in dropping the ball, make sure that you just let go of the ball
and do not exert force because it may just make your data flawed. Overall, make sure that
there will be no biased parts in the experiment and that the ball will yield accurate results.