Experiment 1: Measure Drag with an Arduino

The goal of this experiment is to experimentally determine the drag coefficients of stacked coffee filters and to determine if the coffee filters experience linear or quadratic drag. You will achieve this by comparing the results from experiments (using an Arduino microcontroller) to the results from analytically derived and numerically derived position equations for an object with linear and quadratic drag.

Theoretical Component

The theoretical component of this experiment has two parts. Part 1 involves developing analytical expressions for the position of a falling object with and without air resistance. Part 2 involves predicting the position of an object falling with air resistance using a numerical differential equation solver to solve the relevant second-order differential equations. A full description of the theoretical component of this lab can be found here.

Experimental Component

The experimental component of this lab involves using an Arduino with a distance sensor to determine the position as a function of time of several stacks of coffee filters. A thorough description of the experimental component can be found here.

Data Analysis Component

Finally, the data analysis component of this lab involves comparing the positions of the falling coffee filters from the theoretical and experimental components and extracting experimental values for the coefficients of drag for the coffee filters. The full explanation can be found here.