PASCO ME-9207B FREE FALL ADAPTER - Manual (Page 6)

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Free Fall Adapter 012-05760B
Equipment Setup
1. Clamp the ball release mechanism to a lab stand, or
any other device that will hold it vertical and at the
desired height over the floor or table (Figure 2).
Operation
Figure 2. Equipment Setup
Photogate Timer
(not included)
receptor pad
contact screw
d
ball release
mechanism
thumbscrew
on back side
dowel pin
(press
here)
Data Collection
The process for data collection varies with the elec-
tronic timing device. The process for a few of these
devices is listed below:
PASCO Photogate Timer (ME-9206A or ME-
9215A)
1. Turn the timer ON and set it in the GATE mode.
2. Tap the receptor pad to reset the Free Fall Timer
electronics.
3. Press the RESET button to reset the timer.
4. Loosen the thumbscrew to release the ball. It
should hit in the center of the receptor pad. If not,
reset the timer, reposition the pad, and try it again.
5. Read the time on the digital display of the timer.
This is the time it took for the ball to fall a distance
d, as shown in Figure 2.
PASCO Smart Timer (ME-8930
1. Press the Select Measurement button repeatedly
until Time is displayed.
2. Press the Select Mode button repeatedly until the
Stopwatch mode is displayed.
Connecting the Free Fall Adapter to the
Electronic Timing Device
The Free Fall Adapter connects the any electronic
timing device by inserting the phone plug into a
phone jack on the device. See Appendix A for a
diagram of many of the connection options. See
Appendix B for illustrated connection instructions for
several of these timing devices.
For best results, the drop height (d) should be the
full two meters allowed by the cable. Shorter
heights will work fine, but accuracy is reduced
proportionally.
2. Position the ball receptor plate directly under the
ball. (You might want to place the receptor plate
in a shallow box so the ball doesn’t roll away after
it falls.)
3. Insert one of the steel balls into the release mecha-
nism, pressing in the dowel pin so the ball is
clamped between the contact screw and the hole in
the release plate. Lightly tighten the thumbscrew
to lock the ball in place.
4. Plug the phone jack into a port on your electronic
timing device.
Options for Electronic Timing
Options for electronic timing for the Free Fall
Adapter include the PASCO Photogate Timers
(Model 9206A, or 9215A), Smart Timer
(ME-8930), and ScienceWorkshop
® computer in-
terface (Series 500, 700, and CI-6500)V. If you
wish to use this adapter with other timers, please
see the Technical Information section (Appendix
C) for power supply, output signal, and connector
specifications.