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Using Ticker Timers To Measure Speed

The document describes how to use a ticker timer to measure the speed and motion of objects by analyzing the spacing of dots printed on ticker tape as it passes through the timer. The ticker timer vibrates 50 times per second, leaving dots 0.02 seconds apart. By measuring the distance between dots over time intervals and plotting graphs, the speed, acceleration, and changes in motion of moving objects can be determined.

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Daniel Berry
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2K views7 pages

Using Ticker Timers To Measure Speed

The document describes how to use a ticker timer to measure the speed and motion of objects by analyzing the spacing of dots printed on ticker tape as it passes through the timer. The ticker timer vibrates 50 times per second, leaving dots 0.02 seconds apart. By measuring the distance between dots over time intervals and plotting graphs, the speed, acceleration, and changes in motion of moving objects can be determined.

Uploaded by

Daniel Berry
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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USING TICKER TIMERS TO MEASURE SPEED

A ticker timer can be used to measure speed as well as acceleration. The vibrating arm of the
ticker timer strikes the carbon paper and leaves dark marks on the paper tape. If the tape is
attached to a moving object, a series of dots is left on the tape. Because the ticker timer vibrates
1
50 times per second, the dots are made 50 of a second apart. The further apart the dots are,
the faster the object is moving. The closer together the dots are, the slower the object.

AIM: To use a ticker timer to analyse the motion of an object.

MATERIALS REQUIRED: Ticker timer, power supply and connection wires, ticker tape, clamp,
and scissors.

METHOD:

1. Set up the ticker timer as shown in the picture above. Clamp it to the bench or get one member
of your group to hold it firmly so that it cannot move. Thread a 1 metre length of ticker tape under
the carbon disc and hold the short end.

2. Start the ticker timer and pull the tape at a constant speed until it has gone through. Do this for
several different speeds within your group but make sure you have a tape showing constant speed
for yourself to work with.
USING TICKER TIMERS TO MEASURE SPEED

QUESTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS:

1. Examine the tape. What do you notice about the spacing between the dots?

The space between the dots are around the same distance.

2. What differences are there along the length of the tape?

The start and the end of the experiment, the spacing of the dots are a lot spaced out.

Select one section of the tape. Mark the direction of travel and a starting point. Count along the
tape from the first dot, marking off every fifth dot, as shown. Five dots represent 0.1 second.
Measure the distances d1, d2, d3, d4 etc and record them in the data table.

Distance (cm) Time Period


d1 0.5 0.1 s
d2 1.4 0.2 s
d3 2.8 0.3 s
d4 4.6 0.4 s
d5 6.9 0.5 s

3. Plot a graph of distance versus time and draw a line of best fit. Use your graph to calculate the
average speed of the trolley for this tape in cm s-1.
USING TICKER TIMERS TO MEASURE SPEED

Series 1
8

0
Category 1 Category 2 Category 3 Category 4

Series 1

Average speed for tape being pulled through = 0.138m/s

4. Cut the tape at each 0.1 second mark. Then stick the strips into your notebook in the correct
order, as shown below. Do this on the next page. Each strip represents the distance travelled in
0.1 s, so you have made a graph of speed against time.

5. Describe in your own words what the graph from question 4 tells you. If the speed is not
constant, suggest a reason for this.
USING TICKER TIMERS TO MEASURE SPEED

The speed rises at a constant speed

6. Calculate the speed for each segment and then calculate the average speed by adding them all
together and dividing by the appropriate number. Does this agree with the value you calculated in
question 3?

D1 - Around 0.05m/s
D2 -

7. What conclusions can you reach from this experiment?

Ticker timers can be used to illustrate motion

INTERPRETING TICKER TIMER TAPE

Look at the ticker tapes shown below.

8. Which tapes show constant speed?

Tape 1 and tape 4


USING TICKER TIMERS TO MEASURE SPEED

9. Which tapes show changing speed?

Tape 3 and 2

10. What is the difference between tapes 1 and 4?

Tape 4’s dots are more spaced out as the tape was pulled through at a faster rate than 1

11. How would you describe what happened in tape 2?

Tape 2’s speed accelerated from the start

12. Try some calculations on these four tapes. To simplify calculations, dots are often considered
to belong to groups of five intervals (the spaces between six dots). On the tapes, mark groups of
five intervals on each.

Tape Number Length Of Five Speed


Intervals (cm)
1 0.5
2 0.9
3 1.4
4 1.8

You can use a ruler to measure the distance covered by each group of five intervals and then enter
each of them into your table. The ticker timer makes 50 dots every second. That means five
1
intervals represent 5 ¿ 50 , or 0.1 of a second passing. Using this information, the
distance
distances you have measured and the relationships for speed (average speed = )
t
calculate the speeds shown by the ticker tapes.

13. Do your answers agree with what you first thought about the motion shown by the tapes?

14. A ticker timer is a simple vibrator that puts dots on to a paper tape at a rate of 50 dots in each
second. A tape attached to a cart is passed under the vibrator and then cut into successive
lengths, each containing 10 spaces between the dots. These lengths are used to produce the chart
below.
USING TICKER TIMERS TO MEASURE SPEED

(a) What time does each length of tape represent?


0.2 seconds

(b) What is the average speed for length A?


7.5 cm/s

(c) What is happening to the cart between A and D?

It is accelerating
(d) What is happening to the cart between D and G?
It is moving at constant velocity

(e) What is the total force acting on the cart between D and G?
zero

(f) What is the total time from the start of the motion until cart reaches its maximum speed?
0.8 seconds

15. The diagram below shows part of the ticker tape record of the motion of a toy car as it is
pushed along a table. As the tape moves through the ticker timer, a new black dot is produced
every fiftieth of a second (0.02 s). The ticker tape has been divided into four equal time intervals
labelled A, B, C and D.

(a) During which time intervals is the speed of the toy car increasing?
A and start of D
(b) During which time intervals is the speed of the toy car decreasing?
B and D
(c) During which of the four-time intervals is the speed of the toy car constant?
C
(d) During which of the four-time intervals is the toy car increasing speed at a constant rate?
A
USING TICKER TIMERS TO MEASURE SPEED

(e) What period of time is represented by each of the four-time intervals?


0.1 secs

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