Gravitational Force Virtual Lab Objectives: In This Experiment We Will Confirm Newtons Universal Law Of Gravitation By Measuring The Force Between Two Ordinary Objects On Earth As Well As Two Objects From Elsewhere In The Universe And Calculating The Value Of The Gravitational Constant G From The Experiment. We Will Confirm The Goodness Of The Result

Gravitational Force Virtual Lab

Objectives:

In this experiment we will confirm Newtons universal law of gravitation by measuring the force between two ordinary objects on Earth as well as two objects from elsewhere in the universe and calculating the value of the gravitational constant G from the experiment. We will confirm the goodness of the result by comparing the experimental value to the known actual G value:

Experimental procedure:

1. Open the 1st PhET simulation: Gravity Force Lab: Basics for HUGE masses
2. Set the two masses at some arbitrary values and observe the forces between them.
3. Choose any two values for Mass 1 and Mass2, set them at the farthest distance r from each other, note the force F, and record the distance and the force in the Data Table 1.
4. Move the masses closer to each other and collect at least 8 data points for r and F. Record them in the Data Table1.
5. Now open the 2nd PhET simulation: Gravity Force Lab for small masses
6. Repeat the same procedure for the ordinary masses and record your data in the Data Table 2.
7. Plot both data and confirm the inverse r2 relationship of the Force and the distance between masses.
8. Fit your graph to the Power function in excel. If you are using google sheets the function is Power series that you will be fitting. Use the fitting parameter to calculate your experimental G value.

** Make sure to collect and record at least 8 to 10 data points for each experiment

1. Compare your measurements to the generally accepted value of G. Calculate % error between your experimental value you got from the graph and the accepted value of G for both experiemnts.
2. Show your calculations
3. Does the accepted value fall within the range of your values? Discuss your results. Does your experiment agree with the accepted value?
4. Post analyses Questions:
5. Take a marble, a ball, and a spoon and drop them from the same height. Do they hit the floor at the same time? Explain.
6. Now drop a spoon and a piece of paper, does it behave like the other objects? Explain your observations..
7. Summary and conclusion: