JOSE MARIA COLLEGE

Foundation, Inc.
Philippine-Japan Friendship
Highway, Sasa, Davao City
COLLEGE OF ALLIED HEALTH
SCIENCES EDUCATION
B.S. IN RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY

Name: _________________________________ Date: ____________________

Investigating Speed, Velocity and Acceleration

I.Purpose/Hypothesis:
The purpose of this lab is to determine the acceleration of a car that travels down a
ramp and eventually stops.

Hypothesis (write an if/then statement here)

II. Materials
∙ 3 stop watches
∙ 1 ramp (made of students’ binders)
∙ 3 pieces of Hot Wheels track
∙ 1 meter stick
∙ 2 pieces of tape (marked 50cm and 100cm)

III. Procedure
1. Set up a ramp using 5 books.
2. Measure out another meter from the end of the ramp, and mark out every 50 cm using a
piece of tape on the ground.
3. Measure the total distance and record it here. cm
4. Have three people with three stopwatches and have one person in charge of
releasing the toy car.
5. Assign one timer to stop at the end of the ramp, one timer to stop at 50 cm, and
one timer to stop at 100 cm.
6. On a count of three, have all three timers begin and the car release from the top of the
ramp.
7. Record the times that it took the car to reach the end of the ramp, 50 cm, and 100 cm.
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 two more times and record in Table 1. Calculate the average times
and record in table 2.
9. Calculate the velocity of the car at the beginning of the ramp (HINT: it’s sitting still), at
 theend of the ramp, 50 cm, and 100 cm.
10. Graph the velocities of the car at each of the 4 parts of the ramp system in a line
graph. (start, end of ramp, 50cm beyond ramp, 100cm beyond ramp)
IV. Data/Analysis
A. Diagram – sketch a diagram of the lab set up, including the ramp, track, meter
markings, and car
B. Observations – n/a
C. Data Tables

Table 1 – Measuring Average Time for Each Distance

Distance Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average Time

End of ramp 2s 1s 1s 3s

50 cm

100 cm

Table 2 – Calculating Velocity of Cars

Location Actual Distance Time Velocity = Distance/time
(From Start)

Top of Ramp 0 cm 0s 0 m/s

End of ramp 50cm 3s

50 cm 100cm

100 cm

D. Graph – Using the velocity values in table 2, graph the velocities of the car at
each of the 4 parts of the ramp system in a line graph (step #10 from procedure).
Make sure you label each axis with a scale and descriptive title, as well as an
overall title for the graph.
 E. Analysis Questions
1 Calculate the average acceleration between the top of the ramp and the
bottom of the ramp. Show your work.

2 Calculate the average acceleration between the bottom of the ramp and the
end of the 100 cm mark. Show your work.

V. Conclusion – write out a formal lab conclusion here.