Physics Motion Lab
Part 1: Constant velocity
Materials –
battery powered vehicles, stop watch metric tape measure
Procedure – Time the vehicles for distances of 1 to 10 meters
Graph the results and draw best-fit straight line for each vehicle
Data -
Results -
Vehicle #1
Time (s)
Dist (m)
1
2
3
4
5
Vehicle #2
Time (s)
Dist (m)
1
2
3
4
5
Find the slope of each best-fit straight line.
What units are used to measure the slope?
Conclusions – If your car is running on cruise control, what factors might cause the
velocity to change above and/or below the cruising velocity?
When an airplane is on autopilot, what factors might cause the
velocity to change?
If your car is going east at 25 m/s, give several devices on the car that
could change its velocity (remember that velocity is a vector).
Part 2: Constant acceleration
Materials -
Ticker tape machine, ticker tape, mass 50 gm and 100 gm
Procedure - Attach mass to ticker tape and let gravity accelerate to tape
Measure the distance traveled every 5 ticks
Repeat for the second mass
Graph the results of distance vs time and draw a best-fit curve to show
acceleration. Calculate velocity = distance/time, and draw a velocity vs
time graph.
Data –
Mass #1
Time(ticks) Dist(cm)
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Velocity
(cm/tick)
Mass #2
Time(ticks) Dist(cm)
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Results - Estimate acceleration from the slope of the velocity vs time graph.
Conclusion - Does the heavier mass accelerate faster than the lighter mass?
Example why the acceleration is the either same or different.
Velocity
(cm/tick)
Part 3: Free Fall
Materials -
stop watch, metric tape measure, falling objects
Procedure - using various place around the school, time an object falling
Measure time to 1/100 s
Measure distance to 1/100 m
For each set of data calculate g = 2 x d / t2
Data –
Distance (m)
Results -
Time (s)
Gravity (m/s2)
expected value for gravity is 9.81 m/s2 – find % error
%error = (|expected – observed| / expected) x 100%
Conclusion - Does gravity accelerate all masses at the same rate?
Are there any qualifications to your answer?
What might have caused the error in our measurement/calculation?
Sample Graph Results
Constant velocity
slope is velocity
trial #2
distance (m)
trial #1
time (sec)
Constant acceleration
slope is velocity
distance (m)
time (ticks or sec)
Constant acceleration
slope is acceleration
velocity (m/sec)
time (ticks or sec)
Lab Report Rubric
Looking For…
Title Page with clear
information about
your Lab Exercise
Way! (2 Pts)
Part Way (1 Pt)
Colorful and creative
Title page with some
with your name, period, information about you
date, diagrams or
and the exercise
internet images
No Way (0 Pts)
No title page
No Way!
Purpose: Statement of Clearly stated purpose
the reason for this lab in your own words,
does not have to be a
complete sentence
Purpose copied word
for word from lab
specifications
No purpose
No Way!
Materials: Detailed
list of equipment
used in your exercise
Neat listing of each
piece of equipment
with correct spelling
Equipment with less
than precise names (i.e.
heat thingy rather than
thermometer)
No materials
No Way!
Procedure:
Thorough list of
operations performed
Numbered step by step
listing of everything
that was done in your
own words
Steps copied word for
word from lab
specifications
No procedure
No Way!
Data: (X2)
Measurements taken
during the exercise
Clearly labeled charts
showing all data
recorded during the
exercise including units
of measure
Mathematical solution
to equations in a
sequential order, graph
results where possible
or requested in lab
specifications
Lots of numbers and
readings written on
paper in no particular
order, no units of
measure
Answers to calculations
without the equations
or solution sequence,
missing graph, no
measurement units
No data
No Way!
Determine percent
error where possible
and explain reason,
precision of your data,
how is this important in
the real world
Answer simple
questions about what
happened, try to look at
the big picture
No conclusions
No Way!
Calculations: (X2)
Equations for
interpreting your data
Conclusions: (X2)
What does your data
show or imply
No calculations
No Way!