Help Projectile Motion High Speed Camera

[wjlancas]

We are trying to measure the accleration due to gravity with a high speed camera. The set up is as follows. A 1/4 inch ball bearing is shot at 6 m/s across a half meter grid. The high speed camera is 1.8 meters away and perpendicular to the grid. The camera is records the ball at 250 frames per second. We then take the recording and analyze the ball positions on the computer. The computer gives an x and y coordinate for each frame. By knowing the time for each coordinate we should be able to measure the acceleration due to gravity. However, our measurements show gravity to be 9 m/s^2 systematically. Does anyone have a reason as to why this may occur?

 

[LightHero]

There could be several factors that could be causing this discrepancy in the measurements. One potential issue could be that the camera's shutter speed is not fast enough to accurately capture the ball bearing's motion. Another potential cause could be that the ball bearing is reflecting light and causing interference with the camera's readings. Finally, if the ball bearing is bouncing off the grid, this could introduce errors in the measurements by distorting the ball bearing's trajectory.

 

[astrokreng]

I would suggest considering the following factors that could potentially affect the accuracy of your measurements:

1. Air resistance: When an object is in motion, it experiences air resistance which can affect its acceleration. This is particularly important to consider when using a small ball bearing as it may be more affected by air resistance compared to a larger object.

2. Friction: The surface on which the ball bearing is rolling may also affect its acceleration. If there is any friction present, it can slow down the ball and affect its trajectory.

3. Human error: It is important to ensure that the ball is shot at the same speed and angle for each trial. Any slight variations in these parameters can affect the results.

4. Calibration of the high-speed camera: It is important to make sure that the camera is properly calibrated and that the measurements are being taken accurately. Any errors in the calibration process can result in inaccurate measurements.

5. Systematic errors: It is possible that there are systematic errors in your experimental setup or data analysis that are causing the consistent measurement of gravity at 9 m/s^2. It would be helpful to review your procedures and data analysis methods to identify any potential sources of error.

Overall, it is important to carefully consider and control all possible variables in your experiment to ensure accurate measurements. I would also recommend repeating the experiment multiple times to see if the results are consistent and to rule out any potential outliers.