Introduction to Motion
Graphing
The purpose of this activity is to get you familiar with
the graphs that are produced by different types of
motion.
Introduction to Program
The program you are using can be found by following this link.
On the opening screen, you will be given the option of using the desktop version or the touch
device version.
In the desktop version the pedals are operated by pushing, and holding them down as you
would in a real car. This will give you much better control of when the different stages of
motion begin and end.
In the touch version, you click the pedal once to start a behaviour and click it again to end the
behavior. The advantage to this version is that you can activate your pedals before starting the
motion of the car. I recommend the desktop version for this activity if you are doing this on a
Chromebook.
The touch version will work on all devices including desktop computers. The desktop version
will not work on many touch devices.
Introduction to Program
Clicking on the title for the y-axis of your graph will cycle you from velocity vs. time to position vs. time to a
hybrid graph that shows both types of graphs at the same time. At this time switch to velocity vs. time.
Introduction to Program
You will be able to follow the progress of your car on the track that is laid out in meters. The length of the
track is 1 km. When the car’s displacement exceeds 500 m, the tracking of position will stop. Your speed
cannot get above 50 m/s.
Introduction to Program
By clicking on the three boxes on the right hand side of your program, you will be able to change the pickup
of your car when you push on the gas, the quality of the braking of your car, and the speed that the car
already has at the beginning of the car’s motion.
At this time, set your values match those shown to the
right.
Hit the start button and mess around with the gas and
the brake just to get a feel for the usage of this program.
Part 1
Set your y-axis to display position only.
With your initial speed set to rest and your acceleration set to Porchelike and your braking set to Pintolike,
do the following:
1) Press Start
2) As quickly as possible, hit and hold the gas pedal for the entire 10 seconds
Neatly copy this graph onto your paper and talk about the graph that you obtained.
Click on the y-axis of your graph and add the velocity graph to the one you are already displaying. On the
same set of axes you already used, add this graph in a different color.
Find the slope of the velocity vs. time graph. What is this value in terms of the motion of the car?
Part 2
Reset your system.
Set the y-axis of your graph to read velocity only.
Set initial speed to rabbit and your acceleration set to Hondalike and your braking set to Pintolike.
Press start and immediately step on the gas. Hold the gas down for the entire 10 seconds.
Copy this graph over to the worksheet in the spot for part 2.
Find the equation of this graph.
What is the meaning of the slope and the meaning of the y-intercept?
Part 3
Reset your system.
Set the y-axis of your graph to read position only.
Set initial speed to cheetah and your acceleration set to Hondalike and your braking set to Pintolike.
Press start and just let the car coast on cruise control. Don’t touch the gas for any of the 10 seconds.
Copy this graph over to the worksheet in the spot for part 3.
Find the equation of this graph.
What is the meaning of the slope?
Click on the y-axis of your graph and add the velocity graph to the one you are already displaying. On the
same set of axes you already used, add this graph in a different color.
Part 4
Reset your system.
Set the y-axis of your graph to read position only.
Set initial speed to golden eagle and your acceleration set to Hondalike and your braking set to Volvolike.
Press start and immediately step on the brake. Hold the break for all of the 10 seconds.
Neatly copy this graph onto your paper and talk about the graph that you obtained.
Click on the y-axis of your graph and add the velocity graph to the one you are already displaying. On the
same set of axes you already used, add this graph in a different color.
Find the slope of the velocity vs. time graph. What is this value in terms of the motion of the car?
Part 5
Reset your system and recreate part 1.
Set your y-axis to display position only.
With your initial speed set to rest and your acceleration set
to Porchelike and your braking set to Pintolike, then press
start and as quickly as possible, hit and hold the gas pedal
for the entire 10 seconds
Carefully get the values of 5 different points on this graph.
Open the graphing program found here
Curve fit the graph and then transfer the graph and the
equation of the graph onto your worksheet for part 5.
What is the meaning of your graph constant?
Time (s)
Position (m)