Data Table for the Parabola Experiment

For the first set of trials, the ball was rolled down a plane inclined at 13.4 degrees. At the end of the plane, the ball then fell a height of 40 inches to the ground. The distance from the end of the ramp to the landing site of the ball along the floor was measured.

Distance along rampTrial 1Trial 2Trial3Trial 4Trial 5
One Foot13 15/16 inches13 7/8 inches14 1/16 inches14 inches13 15/16 inches
Two Feet19 13/16 inches19 13/16 inches19 13/16 inches19 3/4 inches19 3/4 inches
Four Feet27 11/16 inches27 3/4 inches27 3/4 inches27 9/16 inches27 9/16 inches
Six Feet33 3/8 inches33 5/16 inches33 3/16 inches33 7/16 inches33 5/8 inches

For the second set of trials, the ball was rolled down the same plane, inclined at 6.7 degrees, with the same fall.

Distance along rampTrial 1Trial 2Trial3Trial 4Trial 5
One Foot10 11/6 inches10 11/6 inches10 11/6 inches10 11/6 inches10 11/6 inches
Two Feet14 1/2 inches14 9/16 inches14 1/2 inches14 1/2 inches14 9/16 inches
Four Feet20 3/4 inches20 3/4 inches20 3/4 inches20 3/4 inches20 3/16 inches
Six Feet25 7/16 inches25 1/2 inches25 3/4 inches25 1/2 inches25 5/8 inches
Eight Feet>29 5/8 inches29 1/2 inches29 1/2 inches29 5/16 inches29 1/2 inches

Then the ball was rolled six feet down the plane inclined 6.7 degrees, and allowed to fall onto surfaces raised above the ground to trace the path of its fall.

Surface heightTrial 1Trial 2Trial 3Trial 4Trial 5
33 1/2 inches above the ground (allowing a fall of only 6 1/2 inches)9 15/16 inches9 3/8 inches9 3/8 inches9 15/16 inches9 3/8 inches
28 1/2 inches off the ground (allowing a fall of 11 1/2 inches)17 1/4 inches17 1/8 inches17 3/16 inches17 3/16 inches17 1/4 inches
20 3/4 inches off the ground (allowing a fall of 19 1/4 inches)17 1/4 inches17 1/8 inches17 3/16 inches17 3/16 inches17 1/4 inches
10 3/4 inches off the ground (allowing a fall of 29 1/4 inches)21 3/4 inches21 5/8 inches21 11/16 inches21 5/8 inches21 11/16 inches
On the ground
(with a fall of 40 inches)		25 3/4 inches25 13/16 inches25 3/4 inches25 11/16 inches25 7/8 inches

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Last Revised April 17, 1995.
Martha Turner
mat@rice.edu