Lab 1

Distance, Time, and Velocity

Davis Giles Michael Sheen Honors Physics P-3 9-4-11

Abstract In this experiment, distance and time were tested by walking fifty meters up a sloped area. Time was taken using a stopwatch. The stopwatch was started and stopped every two meters twenty five times. Distance was measured using a meter stick. Conclusions came to find that distance and time are related when using velocity to describe how fast an object is moving and in what direction that object is moving in.

Objective

How are distance, time, and velocity related? Theory Dividing distance by time will give you velocity. V= d/t Data Meter(m) Distance (d) Second(s) Time (t)m/s Velocity (v)23.10.6545.90.6868.60.7811.20.711013.40.751216.50.7314190.741621.50.741824.50 .732027.30.7322300.732432.70.732635.30.742837.90.743040.10.753242.20.763444.20. 773646.40.783848.40.794050.60.794252.80.84455.20.846570.814859.20.815061.50.81 Graph

Conclusions

Distance, time and velocity are related because velocity if found when distance is divided by time. Errors that occurred during this lab are shifts in terrain, inaccurately measuring two meters, and starting or stopping the timer incorrectly. Other factors that could distort the data were walking into other experimenters and being distracted and not measuring time/distance to the best of our ability.

Discussion Questions

1)Why would dividing the total distance by the total time be a bad idea? 2)If the total distance were divided by the total time, a total average would be found, not a specific velocity for each trial 3)Why would retracing the same two meters and using the two meters for each trial be a bad idea? 4)Using the same two meters the entire experiment would be a bad idea because the entire terrain shifts throughout changing some of the results in the lab. 5)What can be found in the graph? 6)The graph is somewhat constant and linear 7)What can be done to make this experiment better? 8)Multiple trails held at once could help and using different areas for experimentation could improve results.