A piece of card is released from rest at a height of 0.5m above a light gate. It falls freely and a computer measures the velocity as it passes through the light gate to be 3.10m/s. What is the acceleration due to gravity measured by this experiment?

This question can be solved using suvat equations, since the acceleration due to gravity is constant. First make a list of the variables given in the question;

s=0.5m

u=0ms^-1 (since the card is released from rest)

v=3.1ms^-1

a=?

We can then select a suvat equation containing these variables, which we can use to solve the problem. In this case we choose v²=u²+2as, as this contains only one unknown (a). Substituting the variables in, we get;

3.1²=0²+2a(0.5)

This simplifies to;

3.1²=a

So the acceleration due to gravity measured in this experiment is 9.61ms^-2.