Study of the free fall motion using experiments in video

Abstract

The pioneering work of Eadweard Muybridge in photography and motion pictures in 1878 that gave rise to video technology, as well as those of Harold Edgerton in high-speed videos made in the mid-twentieth century, sought to understand the behaviour of nature and nowadays remain as valuable tools in all scientific disciplines. At present, the use of video is being incorporated into innovative ways of teaching physics that are gaining a worldwide momentum. In line with this trend, and motivated to enhance two key elements in the learning of science, such as the reflexive nature of the learning process and its deep connection with practical experience, we have created a gallery of videos of experiments to improve the teaching and learning experience in high school and university education in the fields of Newtonian Mechanics and Thermodynamics. Here, we present a sequence of experiments related to the phenomenon of free fall, in order to demonstrate the potential of using experiments in video to improve the conceptual understanding in elementary physics courses.