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 - Vehicle #1 Vehicle #2
Time (s) Dist (m) Time (s) Dist (m)
1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
5 5
Results - 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 Mass #2
Time(ticks) Dist(cm) Velocity Time(ticks) Dist(cm) Velocity
(cm/tick) (cm/tick)
5 5
10 10
15 15
20 20
25 25
30 30
35 35
40 40
45 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.
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) Time (s) Gravity (m/s2)
Results - 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… Way! (2 Pts) Part Way (1 Pt) No Way (0 Pts)
Title Page with clear Colorful and creative Title page with some No title page
information about with your name, period, information about you No Way!
your Lab Exercise date, diagrams or and the exercise
internet images
Purpose: Statement of Clearly stated purpose Purpose copied word No purpose
the reason for this lab in your own words, for word from lab No Way!
does not have to be a specifications
complete sentence
Materials: Detailed Neat listing of each Equipment with less No materials
list of equipment piece of equipment than precise names (i.e. No Way!
used in your exercise with correct spelling heat thingy rather than
thermometer)
Procedure: Numbered step by step Steps copied word for No procedure
Thorough list of listing of everything word from lab No Way!
operations performed that was done in your specifications
own words
Data: (X2) Clearly labeled charts Lots of numbers and No data
Measurements taken showing all data readings written on No Way!
during the exercise recorded during the paper in no particular
exercise including units order, no units of
of measure measure
Calculations: (X2) Mathematical solution Answers to calculations No calculations
Equations for to equations in a without the equations No Way!
interpreting your data sequential order, graph or solution sequence,
results where possible missing graph, no
or requested in lab measurement units
specifications
Conclusions: (X2) Determine percent Answer simple No conclusions
What does your data error where possible questions about what No Way!
show or imply and explain reason, happened, try to look at
precision of your data, the big picture
how is this important in
the real world