Linear Motion
Out-of-class Mini-lab
Toy Car Motion
Please remember that for the out-of-class mini-lab you must write
a short overview and conclusion.
Materials:
toy car, stopwatch, meterstick/tape measure
Procedure:
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Select a line or place a pencill on the floor to mark your starting point.
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Beginning at the starting line, give your car a gentle push forward. At
the same time, start your stopwatch.
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Stop timing exactly when the car comes to a complete stop. Mark the spot
at the front of the car with another pencil.
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Record the time for the entire trip. Measure the distance to the nearest
tenth of a centimeter and convert it to meters.
Analysis:
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Calculate the average speed during your car's trip. What was the car's
average velocity?
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How would the velocity reading differ if you repeated the experiment in
exactly the same way in the opposite direction?
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Describe any acceleration you observed the car undergo. How would you cause
a greater acceleration?
In-class Explorations
Be sure to read the directions for these on the How
Do I Do That? page.
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Frame of reference video
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Motion sensor activity
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Sean's Hot Wheels Graph
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Others TBA