Paper 2 · Units and Measurement
In an experiment to measure the acceleration of free fall g, a steel ball took 807 ms to fall a distance of 3.20 m from rest. Using s = (1/2)gt^2, calculate the value of g.
Model answer
9.83 m/s^2
Also accepted: 9.83 m s^-2, 9,83 m/s^2, 9.8 m/s^2
Explanation: With u=0, s=(1/2)gt^2 gives g=2s/t^2 = (2x3.20)/(0.807)^2 = 6.40/0.6512 = 9.83 m s^-2.
Derived from ZIMSEC Physics Paper 2, June 2004, Q1