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The JASON Project 2011 1

TERMINAL VELOCITY: Mission 2Lab 1: Calculating Speed and Determinin

Velocity

Lab Prep

1. Connect pieces of foam pipe insula-tion together using toothpicks, asshown in figure A..

2. Measure and record the length of thefoam/track.

3. Arrange the foam into a track, using books or other objects to create hills as shown in figure B.4. Test the track with one of the balls and adjust as needed.5. Record the mass and a description of each ball you will use in this lab in the table below.

5. Stretch a piece of string from the start of the track directly to the barrier at the end of the track.

Measure the string to determine the magnitude of the displacement from the beginning of thetrack to the end.

Objective: Read the lab intro and summarize what you will be doing during this lab and how

Matt Brumbelows work relates to this lab:

Name: Period:

Figure A Figure B

Ball # Description Mass

1

2

3

4

Displacement = _____________________________________________________________

Length of track = ___________________________________________________________

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The JASON Project 2011 2

Make Observations

1. Release each ball one at a time down the track and record how long it takes to reach the barrierat the end. Record the times in the chart below.

2. Calculate the average time for each ball and record it in the chart.

3. Determine the average speed of each ball using the formula speed = distance/time.

4. Graph your data. Put time on the x-axis and distance on the y-axis. Choose an appropriate scale

and create a title for your graph. Plot the average speed of each ball as a point. Then draw a line

from each point to (0,0) in the bottom left corner of the graph.

Ball # Distance (length of track) Average Time Speed(Distance / time)

Ball # Trial 1 Time Trial 2 Time Trial 3 Time Average Time

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The JASON Project 2011 3

Describe a relationship between the slope of the line on the graph and the speed of the ball.

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Based on your observations, in which areas of the track do you see increases and decreases in theballs speed?

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The JASON Project 2011 4

Make observations on each balls velocity after it strikes the barrier at the end of the track. Does itjust stop? Does it bounce back? If so, do they all bounce back the same distance and speed?

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Reflect and Apply

How do the speeds of the different balls compare?

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What variables may be causing the difference in speed of the different balls?

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Develop some hypotheses about what variables may be causing differences in the balls motion afterthey strike the barrier.

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How does the overall displacement of the ball compare to the overall distance the ball actually trav-eled on the track?

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Journal Question

Why do the balls react differently when they strike the barrier at the end of the track?

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