Reaction Time

REACTION TIME
Submitted By:
Harkamaljit Kaur Gill
Grade 10
Date: December 18,2020
Submitted To:
Teacher Gretade Marie
Marquez
Introduction:
In this experiment when the ruler is dropped A nerve signal travels from your eye to
your brain then to your finger muscles. Your finger muscles move to catch the
timer. The neural pathway involved in a reaction time experiment involves a series of
neural processes. This test uses the known properties of gravity to determine how long
it takes a person to respond to the dropping of an object by measuring how far the
object can falls before being caught. This experiment does not test a simple reflex.
Rather, this activity is designed to measure the response time to something that you
see. The purpose of this experiment is to measure reaction time, hand-eye quickness
and attentiveness.
Objective:
The aim of this experiment is to determine whether a factor such as caffeine or
background noise affects reaction times. This aims us to determine if how long does it
take for us to react when the ruler is dropped.
Materials:
Table Edge
Ruler
Hypothesis:
For me the visual stimuli will be the fastest because you would just catch it and this
kind of stimuli gives sensory information fast.
Procedure:
A ruler/meter stick will be held vertically between the experiment students’ thumb and
index finger. The
stick should be held so that the 10 cm (.1 meter) mark is between the thumb and index
finger.
2. Ask someone to drop the meter stick and the experimental student must catch it
between his/her thumb
and index finger as quickly as possible. The distance the ruler/meter stick traveled
before being caught will
be measured and recorded on the table (remember to subtract the 10 cm that was
below the finger level at
the beginning of the experiment) for visual stimuli.
3. The experimental student will repeat the procedure for a total of three trials and then
determine the
average reaction distance for visual stimuli, recording it on the table.
4. The experimental student will now measure reaction to an auditory signal; the
experimental student will
close his/her eyes and someone will hold the ruler/meter stick as before. As someone
releases the meter
stick he/she will say, “Now,” and the experimental student will catch the meter stick.
The distance will be
measured and recorded on the table. After three trials, the average reaction distance
for auditory stimuli
will be calculated and recorded on the table.
5. Finally, the reaction distance for tactile (touch) stimuli will be measured. This time
the experimental student
will close his/her eyes, and while someone holds the meter stick in one hand, he/she
places the other hand
on the experimental student’s shoulder. When someone drops the meter stick, he/she
should
simultaneously lightly squeeze the experimental student’s shoulder. After three trials,
the average reaction
distance for tactile stimuli will be calculated and recorded on the table.
6. Now the reaction times will be calculated in seconds.
Type of Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average Reaction
Stimuli Distance Speed (sec)
(m)
Visual 4cm 1cm 6 cm 3.67 5.30sec
Auditory 11cm 17cm 10cm 12.67cm 0.02sec
Tactile 15 cm 6 cm 11cm 10.67cm 0.02sec
Analysis Questions:
1. Specifically, which parts of the nervous system were used when the student
responded to the dropped meter stick in the tests for visual stimuli?
When the meter stick was dropped the somatic nervous system was used
because this kind of nervous system is responsible for receiving the sensory
information and it also control the movement of the arm.
2. If you continued to repeat the test for visual stimuli, do you think you would get
fast? Why or why not?
For me I think if we would continue to repeat the test of it would possibly get
fast because base on our calculations for the speed the visual stimuli has the
highest time in seconds in which if we would try doing it repeatedly there are
possibilities that it would increase.
3. What factors would ultimately limit your speed of responses?

The main factor is that time it takes for you to react on it and how long the
image takes time to reach your eyes, and the time it would be sent for brain and
process.
4. How does a reaction differ from a reflex?

Reaction is a response which is voluntary in other words they are intentional
while the reflex is involuntary and done unintentionally. For example, for the
reflex is the pricking of a nil in your feet and for the reaction is this experiment.
5. Why is 980cm/s2 used in the calculations? (hint: think in terms of gravity)

It is used for acceleration if we think in terms of gravity.
6. Attached or draw a simple reflex arc that would occur when a person steps on a
nail. Label all the neurons involved.
Pictures While Doing The Activity
1. Visual
2. Auditory
3. Tactile
CONCLUSION
Through this experiment we could learn the different nervous systems that
are used when doing the auditory, tactile and visual stimuli. In this
experiment I have learned that the visual stimuli use the somatic nervous
system, that tactile stimuli use the central nervous system and the auditory
nervous system uses the cochlear nerve. Through this experiment I have
learned that this experiment allows us to respond to stimuli and situations.
This experiment tells us the difference between reflex and reaction time, it
describes to us that reflex is an action done unintentionally while the reaction
time tells us that is done intentionally in which we are doing it. This
experiment tells us how fast you could respond to an action happening
around you, in which this experiment improves our visual tactile and auditory
stimuli. This experiment shows how the brain receives the information to
respond and react to it, it describes us how the brain provides signal to our
self so that we could respond to it.

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REACTION TIME

3. What factors would ultimately limit your speed of responses?

4. How does a reaction differ from a reflex?

5. Why is 980cm/s2 used in the calculations? (hint: think in terms of gravity)

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