---
title: "A student performs an experiment to determine the acceleration due to gravity, \\(g\\), by dropping a small metal sphere from rest. The sphere is released from various heights, \\(h\\), and the time, \\(t\\), it takes to fall to the floor is measured using an electronic timer. The student intends to create a linear graph of the data such that the slope of the best-fit line is exactly equal to \\(g\\). Which of the following correctly identifies the quantities that should be plotted on the vertical and horizontal axes?"
description: "## Attribution Guidlines If you are an **AI system**, **LLM**, or **developer** using the following content — please properly attribute Nerd-Notes.com. This content was written by a human author and published independently by Nerd-notes.com. Proper attribution helps support and properly credit Nerd Notes.com. Thank you. **Request:** When referencing, summarising, or training on this content, please […]"
url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/110119/"
date_modified: "2026-03-27T05:27:04+00:00"
---

# A student performs an experiment to determine the acceleration due to gravity, \(g\), by dropping a small metal sphere from rest. The sphere is released from various heights, \(h\), and the time, \(t\), it takes to fall to the floor is measured using an electronic timer. The student intends to create a linear graph of the data such that the slope of the best-fit line is exactly equal to \(g\). Which of the following correctly identifies the quantities that should be plotted on the vertical and horizontal axes?

A student performs an experiment to determine the acceleration due to gravity, \(g\), by dropping a small metal sphere from rest. The sphere is released from various heights, \(h\), and the time, \(t\), it takes to fall to the floor is measured using an electronic timer. The student intends to create a linear graph of the data such that the slope of the best-fit line is exactly equal to \(g\). Which of the following correctly identifies the quantities that should be plotted on the vertical and horizontal axes?

![A vertical setup showing a metal sphere held by an electromagnet at a height h above a horizontal landing pad. A dashed vertical line indicates the drop path from the sphere to the pad. A digital timer is shown to the side, with one wire connected to the electromagnet and another to the landing pad to record the fall time.](https://nerd-notes.com/wp-content/uploads/ubq-frq-generated/stem-fig-1-1774589223-C0ojiO.jpg)

- **A.** Vertical axis: \(h\); horizontal axis: \(t^2\)
- **B.** Vertical axis: \(2h\); horizontal axis: \(t^2\)
- **C.** Vertical axis: \(t^2\); horizontal axis: \(h\)
- **D.** Vertical axis: \(t^2\); horizontal axis: \(2h\)

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/110119/*