The Student Room Group

Determining terminal velocity

I have to plan an experiment to determine terminal velocity of steels balls of different radii. I know I will use a container with oil in it and will choose time taken to travel a certain distance well below the surface of the oil. What I want to ask is that what method do we use to ensure that terminal velocity has been reached?
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Zishi
I have to plan an experiment to determine terminal velocity of steels balls of different radii. I know I will use a container with oil in it and will choose time taken to travel a certain distance well below the surface of the oil. What I want to ask is that what method do we use to ensure that terminal velocity has been reached?


Here's the "text book" method.
Just make sure the ball is not too large, point A is not too close to the surface and B not too close to the bottom.

The tube should be wide compared to the size of the ball.

Reply 2
Original post by Stonebridge
Here's the "text book" method.
Just make sure the ball is not too large, point A is not too close to the surface and B not too close to the bottom.

The tube should be wide compared to the size of the ball.



Alright, many thanks. Also, do you know the meaning of the term "suspect plots" when applied to drawing points on a graph paper, using the data recorded by doing some experiments?
Original post by Zishi
Alright, many thanks. Also, do you know the meaning of the term "suspect plots" when applied to drawing points on a graph paper, using the data recorded by doing some experiments?


Without the full context I imagine it means what I would call "anomalous readings". That is, readings that look wrong. You can spot these if you draw a rough graph while doing the experiment because they fall a long way from the expected range.
Reply 4
Original post by Stonebridge
Without the full context I imagine it means what I would call "anomalous readings". That is, readings that look wrong. You can spot these if you draw a rough graph while doing the experiment because they fall a long way from the expected range.


Yeah, I also thought of them as anomalous points. Thanks. :smile:

Quick Reply

Latest