September 2023

PHYSICAL SCIENCES: Project

GRADE 10

Examiner: Mrs. Churchill Moderator: Mrs. Venter

Time: 4 weeks Total: 50 marks

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Instructions:

1. You are going to create and write your own scientific report based on one of
the four topics given
2. You are required to do this at home and hand your report in on 1 September
2023 If you hand in your model late you will forfeit 5% of your marks for every
day that it is late.
3. Your report will be assessed according to the rubrics on page 4-5.
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Car accidents

Speed is a critical factor in all road crashes and casualties. The faster a vehicle is
travelling, the longer it takes to stop, and the greater the risk of a crash. Speed and
stopping distances don’t increase at the same rate. Small increases in speed result
in bigger increases in stopping distances.

Reaction distance

The reaction distance is the distance you travel from the point of detecting a hazard
until you begin braking or swerving.

The reaction distance is affected by

 The car’s speed (proportional increase):

o 2 x higher speed = 2 x longer reaction distance.

o 5 x higher speed = 5 x longer reaction distance.

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  Your reaction time.

o Normally 0.5–2 seconds.

o 45–54 year-olds have the best reaction time in traffic.

o 18–24 year-olds and those over 60 have the same reaction time in
traffic. Young people have sharper senses but older people have more
experience.

The reaction distance can be decreased by

 Anticipation of hazards.

 Preparedness.

The reaction distance can be increased by

 The necessity of decision-making (for example,

between braking or steering out of the way).

 Alcohol, drugs and medication.

 Tiredness.

Braking distance

The braking distance is the distance the car travels from the point when you start
braking until the car stands still.

The braking distance is affected by

 The vehicle’s speed (quadratic increase; “raised to the power of 2”):

o 2 x higher speed = 4 x longer braking distance.

o 3 x higher speed = 9 x longer braking distance.

 The road (gradient and conditions).

 The load.

 The brakes (condition, braking technology and how many wheels are
braking).

Calculate the braking distance

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It is very difficult to achieve reliable calculations of the braking distance as road
conditions and the tyres’ grip can vary greatly. The braking distance may for example
be 10 times longer when there is ice on the road.

Application to stopping distance

When we are discussing the motion of a car after the brakes are applied, we are
interested in two questions in particular:
1. How far in metres does the car go before stopping?
2. What is the speed of the car in km/h after the car has travelled a given
number of metres?
The second question is relevant for finding the speed that you would hit an object
after braking a given distance from it.
It is clear from this discussion that we will use the fourth equation of motion, since
this is the equation that connects speed and distance travelled:
2 2
v f =v i +2 a ∆ x

The stopping-distance formula

We now consider the first question: How far in metres does the car go before
stopping?
We use the fourth equation of motion, v 2f =v 2i +2 a ∆ x . When the car stops, we have vf
= 0, and so
2
0=v i +2 a ∆ x
Solving for x, we have
2
vi
x= .
2a
We are still working with the SI units of measurement. In this situation that means we
are working with metres and seconds. The corresponding units for velocity (speed)
will be metres per second (m/s) and for acceleration m/s2.
The acceleration is in the opposite direction to the motion, and so the acceleration is
negative.

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Assignment:
You will need to design and write a scientific report based on the movement of cars
in a residential area. Choose one of the following topics:
1. Will the cars be able to stop if a dog or child runs into the road?
2. Is the speed limit effective to prevent accidents in residential areas?
3. What following distance is optimal to prevent accidents in an emergency
stop?
4. How will drunk driving or texting while driving affect the stopping distance?

On a residential road near to where you live, measure out 10 m along a straight
section, far away from traffic lights or intersections.

Use a stopwatch to record the time 10 cars take to travel the 20 m section you
measured.

Design a table to represent your results. Use the results to answer the question
posed in the aim of your investigation. You must use equations of motions to answer
the aim you wrote based off of your topic.

Your scientific report must have the following headings

1. Investigative question (2)

2. Aim (2)
3. Hypothesis (2)
4. Methods (6)
5. Results (include table and/or graph) (10)
6. Discussion / analysis
a. Analysis of results including calculations based on topic (10)
7. Conclusion (2)

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Rubric Name:____________________ Teacher:________ Elective:_____

0 to 2 marks 3 to 4 marks 5 to 6 marks 7 to 8 marks 9 - 10 marks

Investigative Include both dependent
question and independent variables,
not a yes or no question,
includes a question mark
Aim Include both dependent
and independent variables,
is not a question.
Hypothesis Include both dependent
and independent variables,
shows predicted
relationship between the
variables
Methods Steps are not clear or in All steps Clear methodology
correct order or stated clearly that makes sense to
incomplete. in correct the aim, steps
order. Clearly stated, experiment
related to aim would be easy to
repeat with only the
method to follow.
Results Short description given, not Results Results displayed in Results displayed in Results displayed in
appropriately displayed displayed in a a table and / or a table and / or a table and / or
table, not graph, more than 2 graph, less than 2 graph, appropriate
clear, no other missing headings or missing headings or headings and data.
details given details details

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Analysis / No calculations used. Little Calculations Calculations Calculations used to Appropriate
discussion to no explanation of topic not used, but a attempted to answer answer topic. Small calculations using
attempted theoretical topic, large mistakes mistakes made in equations of motion
explanation to made clearly calculations or step to answer topic.
topic showing a lack of missed. Numerical value
attempted understanding of the given to prove
concept. answer to topic.
Conclusion Both dependent and
independent variables
included, conclusion
answers aim.