Practical 1.

1
Displacement–time graphs

Safety
Be careful when running with the ticker-tape. Make sure that there are no obstacles in your way.

Apparatus and materials

• ticker-timer or motion sensor • ticker-tape
• power supply for ticker-timer • metre rule
• trolley on an inclined slope • connecting leads
• adhesive tape

Introduction
You can investigate the motion of an object by analysing the information from a ticker-tape attached
to the moving object or using a motion sensor. In this experiment, you will determine the average
velocity of a trolley travelling down a ramp and of a person running.

Details of how to use a ticker-timer to study the motion of an object are given on pages 3–4 of the
Coursebook.

Procedure
1 Attach a length of ticker-tape to a trolley at the top of a ramp. Release the trolley and obtain a
series of dots on the ticker-tape.

2 The ticker-timer produces 50 dots every second. Five dots are produced in a time of 0.1 s.

3 Use the ticker-tape to measure the displacement of the trolley at time intervals of 0.1 s.

4 Record your results in a table.

5 Plot a graph of displacement against time.

Time / s Displacement / m
6 Use the graph to describe the motion of the trolley.
0 0
What is the average velocity of the trolley travelling
down the ramp? 0.1
7 Next, attach a length of tape to yourself. (Make sure
0.2
the ticker-timer is secured.)
0.3
8 Obtain a ticker-tape for yourself running.

9 Once again, record your results in a table and draw etc.

a graph of displacement against time.

10 Use the graph to describe your motion. What is your

average velocity?

Cambridge International AS and A Level Physics © Cambridge University Press 2014 1