Freefall in Vacuum
Purpose
Shows that all objects fall at the same rate in the absence of air resistance, regardless of mass. Students see directly that air resistance — not mass — causes different falling rates in everyday experience.
Figure 1:
The vacuum chamber: a sealable clear cylinder mounted on a bracket with a valve at one end for connecting the vacuum pump. Rotate the cylinder 180° to initiate freefall.
Figure 2:
Inside the cylinder: a plastic coin, clump of feathers, and confetti — objects with very different surface-area-to-mass ratios.
Demo Apparatus
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