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:

  1. Select a line or place a pencill on the floor to mark your starting point.
  2. Beginning at the starting line, give your car a gentle push forward. At the same time, start your stopwatch.
  3. Stop timing exactly when the car comes to a complete stop. Mark the spot at the front of the car with another pencil.
  4. Record the time for the entire trip. Measure the distance to the nearest tenth of a centimeter and convert it to meters.
Analysis:
  1. Calculate the average speed during your car's trip. What was the car's average velocity?
  2. How would the velocity reading differ if you repeated the experiment in exactly the same way in the opposite direction?
  3. 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.
  1. Frame of reference video
  2. Motion sensor activity
  3. Sean's Hot Wheels Graph
  4. Others TBA