Speed Lab
Name: ____________________________
Date: _____________
Partner(s): _________________________
Question: What is the difference in speeds of the following activities: walking, speed walking,
walking backwards, and hopping?
Purpose: The purpose of this lab is to practice
calculating speed.
Hypothesis: Make a hypothesis about the relative
speeds of the activities, from fastest to slowest.
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______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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Materials: Meter stick, timer, lab notebook, pencil, chalk
Variables:
1. Independent Variable: ________________________________________________________
2. Dependent Variable: _________________________________________________________
3. Control Variables: ____________________________________________________________
Procedure:
1. Gather your materials! Each team needs 1 timer, 1 meter stick, and 1 piece of chalk.
2. Create your “race” track! Find a spot on the blacktop and measure off a 10 meter straight
track. Use the chalk to mark the beginning and end of your track. Mark each distance (0 m
and 10 m).
3. Go for it! Each team member will need to perform the following tasks for each distance:
hopping, walking backwards, walking (regular rate), and speed walking. Your team will need
people with timers or stopwatches at the 10 meter point. Record the time it takes to
perform each task.
NOTE: Speed walking is going as fast as you can without jogging or running! Both feet must
remain on the ground at all times.
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Data: Record your data from the experiment in Chart 1, then use the information to calculate the
speed for each task in Chart 2. Round answers to the nearest tenth if needed. Label your
answers! Don’t forget the correct UNITS.
Chart 1. Data Collection
Task
Distance
Hopping
10m
Walking
Backward
s
10m
Walking
10m
Speed
Walking
10m
Trial 1
Time
Trial 2
Time
Trial 3
Time
Average Time
Trial 1
Speed
Trial 2
Speed
Trial 3
Speed
Average Speed
Chart 2. Speed Calculation
Task
Distance
Hopping
10m
Walking
Backwards
10m
Walking
10m
Speed
Walking
10m
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Graph your average speed. Distance goes on the x-axis and time goes on the y-axis.
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Analysis:
1. Which task resulted in the fastest speed? What was the speed?
2. Which task resulted in the slowest speed? What was the speed?
3. How far could you speed walk in 10 minutes based on the speed for the 10 meter trial?
Show your work!
4. Look at your hopping time for the 10m trial. Based on your time, how many seconds would
it take for you to hop: Show your work!
20m: ___________
30m: ____________
40m: _______________
time = distance/speed
5. Look at your speed walking speed for the 10m trial. Based on your speed, how far could you
speed walk in: Show your work!
20s: ___________
30s: ____________
40s: _______________
distance = speed x time
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6. How long would it take you to hop 30 meters based on the speed for the hopping activity?
Show your work!
7. How far could you travel walking backwards in 15 minutes based on the results for the
walking backwards trial? Show your work!
Conclusion:
Re-state the purpose, describe whether or not your hypothesis was correct and WHY, explain
what you learned about speed, and list TWO possible errors you may have made that affected
your results.
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