Moving Man :

Student Lab Sheet

Name : Rara


Introduction and Purpose
In this activity, you will explore the ideas of constant velocity and begin to explore the concept of
acceleration. You will also review position vs. time graphs and while being introduced to
velocity vs. time graphs. You will compare how a position vs. time graph and a velocity vs. time
graph represent the same type of motion.

To Review:
At this point, you should understand some basic concepts in physics. You must know:
- The differences between distance and displacement, and speed and velocity
- Speed/velocity is constant when an object travels a uniform distance/displacement per
time interval
- That acceleration is the rate at which velocity changes

Part 1: Constant Velocity

Procedure
1. Through a web browser, navigate to http://phet.colorado.edu. Click "Play with Sims," then
"Physics," then "Motion," then choose the "Moving Man" simulation. Click "Run now" to start the
simulation. Your screen should display the image shown above. Before collecting data,
familiarize yourself with the features of the simulation.

2. There are two tabs for this simulation, called "Introduction" and "Charts." For today's activity, you
will use the "Introduction" tab. Reset all of the man's values to the following:

Position (this is the mans initial position): -10.0 m

Velocity: + 2.5 m/s
Acceleration: 0 m/s2

3. Click to start the man in motion until he hits the wall, then hit
to stop recording.

4. Use the playback feature to record the man's position (n ot distance or displacement) and
velocity data.

Time (s) Position (m) Velocity (m/s)

0.0 -10 2.5

1.0 -7.396 2.5

2.0 -4.896 2.5

3.0 -2.5 2.5

4.0 -0.104 2.5

5.0 2.396 2.5

6.0 5 2.5

7.396 2.5
7.0

8.0 10 2.5

Analysis (Part 1)

According to your graphs...

1. What shape is your position graph?

The line keeps going upwards.

2. What shape is your velocity graph?

Its just a straight line, but towards the end it goes down.

3. Does your answer to #2 make sense? Why or why not?

I think it does, the man is going at a consistent speed meaning that the line would be straight and
consistent as well. When the man reaches the wall, he stops moving meaning the velocity drops,
which is why the line drops down at the end.


 Part 2: Constant Acceleration

Procedure
1. Reset all of the man's values to the following:
Position (this is the mans initial position): -10.0 m
Velocity: 0 m/s
Acceleration: 0.5 m/s2

3. Click to start the man in motion until he hits the wall, then hit
to stop recording.
4. Use the playback feature to record the man's position (n ot distance or displacement) and
velocity data. You may slow down the playback and pause when necessary to record the data.

Time (s) Position (m) Velocity (m/s)

0.0 -10 0.021

1.0 -9.77 0.479

2.0 -9.041 0.979

3.0 -7.812 1.479

4.0 -6 2

5.0 -3.854 2.479

6.0 -0.875 3.021

7.0 2.396 3.521

8.0 5.834 3.979

9.0 10 4.479

Analysis (Part 2)

According to your graphs...

1. What shape is your position graph?

The line curves up, instead of going straight up like the previous one.

2. Does your answer to #1 make sense? Why or why not?

It does, because the unlike the first one, the acceleration is above 0 meaning that the speed will
gradually increase. That makes the position graph shaped like a curve because the change of
position per second was going at a different rate thus making it not consistent and not a straight
line.

3. What shape is your velocity graph?

It goes straight, and slopes up.

4. Does your answer to #3 make sense? Why or why not?

Yes, its because the speed is always accelerating by 0.5 which keeps increasing the velocity
which makes it not a straight forward line because its not at the same velocity all the time.

Making Connections

1. While the man is accelerating, describe what happens to his (a) position, and (b) velocity as
each second passes.

Well the velocity keeps increasing as each second passes. As for the position, the position keeps
moving forward but at different rates every second. Since the velocity keeps increasing, as every
second passes by the position goes further in a rate thats increasing.

2. What is the difference between an object with constant acceleration and an object with
constant speed?

From what Ive learned from this workshop/experiment, an object with constant acceleration
means that the speed is going to constantly increase as time goes by and does not stay
consistent. An object with constant speed will move at the same rate no matter how long its
been moving, the rate of the moving object will stay consistent.