Name ________________________________

Partner(s): ________________________________

Lab 1.1 – Kinematics in One Dimension: Part 1

Objectives First, to determine the speed of and acceleration of an object by taking

measurements and using kinematic equations that appropriately model the motion
of the object. Second, to explore uncertainty in measurements.

Equipment Meter stick

Timer
Battery powered toy truck
Photogate and computer
Rectangular piece of wood

Preparation Since successful completion of all lab activities counts towards your final lab grade
it will be important to be well prepared by doing Pre-Lab assignments and reading the
entire lab before attending the lab.

Pre-Lab Read the Pre-Lab introduction and answer the accompanying questions and
problems before this Lab.

Points earned today

Pre-Lab ____

Lab ____

Total ____

Instructor Initials ____

Date ____
Activity 1: Measure the speed of toy truck and learn about measurement uncertainty.

Material: toy car, meter stick, timer

1. Your task is to measure the speed of the provided toy truck. First, discuss and write down:
a. What is the definition of speed?
b. In physics, what are the standard units we use for speed?

2. Given the available equipment, develop a plan on how you will measure the speed. Write
down your plan and have your TA approve it before you execute the plan.

3. Perform the measurement and determine the speed of the toy truck. (Please be gentle with
the toy cars. Do not push down on the car to hold it in place. Instead, you can hold the car
just off the surface of the table before releasing it.)

4. If the speed limit in Smith Lab is 10 mph, is your toy truck close to this limit?

5. Now let’s consider the uncertainty in the speed you determined. Every measurement in
physics has uncertainties. To explore the uncertainty, first, discuss in your group: what can
you vary in your setup and still measure the same speed of the toy truck? Once you have an
idea, check in with your TA before you execute your plan.

6. Measure and calculate the speed of the toy truck 10 times with different variations of your
set-up. Enter the results in the provided Excel spreadsheet.

7. Discuss in your group how to graphically represent your 10 measured values of speed. Look
up the definition of histogram. In Excel, select your data, then use “Insert” > “Charts” >
“Histogram”to plot a chart of your results. (Make sure you choose “Histogram”, not “Bar
Chart”.) To vary the number and/or sizes of bins, click on the “+” that appears when you
select your chart, then choose “Axes” > “More Axis Options” .

8. Calculate the mean of your speed measurements using this expression:

𝑁
1
𝑥̅ = ∑ 𝑥𝑖
𝑁
𝑖=1

Here, 𝑥̅ is “the mean of 𝑥”. What is 𝑁? What does the symbol Σ mean? What is 𝑥𝑖 ?

9. How does the mean you calculated relate to the histogram?

10. Looking at the histogram, estimate the uncertainty in your speed measurement. Discuss in
your group how to obtain this. What do you mean by uncertainty when you did this? Then
write down your procedure and the resulting uncertainty.

11. A common procedure in physics is to estimate the uncertainty of a result by determining the
standard deviation of the set of measurements. Calculate the standard deviation 𝜎 for your
 measurements using the expression below. Or you use excel to find the standard deviation.

∑𝑁
𝑖=1(𝑥𝑖 − 𝑥̅ )
2
𝜎= √
𝑁−1

How does your value for 𝜎 compare to your result from Step #10? How does it relate to the
histogram?

Activity 2: Measure the acceleration of a falling object.

Material: meter stick, light gate (+ computer program) mounted on a stand, rectangular piece of
wood, weights, tape.

1. You will measure the acceleration of a falling object by dropping it through a photogate,
measuring how long it takes to fall through the gate, and then using kinematics to calculate
the acceleration.

2. First, explore the photogate. See the diagram.

Light source Light sensor
An infra-red beam of light spans across the
open end of the gate. When an object disrupts
the beam of light, the computer records the
time, and when the object then leaves the
Infra-red
beam, the computer records the time again. In light beam
other words, the computer records every time
the beam is disrupted or restored. Note that on
the photogate is a red indicator light that turns
on when an object disrupts the beam of light.
Try it!

3. Turn on and login to the computer. (One of your group members will need to logon using
their OSU name.# .) Open the LoggerPro software and practice getting data with the
photogate, measuring times that the light beam is disrupted. You will see that the computer
records a “gate state” and an associated time. (Ignore any additional data columns that the
software shows you. You can also ignore any graphs shown in LoggerPro for this activity.)
The gate state column will show either a “1” or a “0”. “1” means the photogate was blocked
at the recorded time. “0” means the gate was unblocked at the recorded time. You will use
these recorded times to determine how long the photogate was blocked by an object.
Check with the TA if things are unclear or if it does not seem to be working.
4. Let’s first take measurements of an object falling through the photogate, then figure how to
use them to calculate the acceleration.

a. Take your rectangular piece of wood and hold it just above the light gate with the
long side in the vertical direction.
b. It is important that the lower edge of the wood gets as close as possible to the light
beam without disrupting it. Use the red LED on the back of the light gate to see
whether the beam is disrupted or not.
c. Press the “Collect” button in the LoggerPro software to start collecting data.
d. Let go of the wood so that it falls straight down.
e. From the computer program, write down the two recorded times and take the
difference in the times to get the duration of time the piece of wood was blocking
the light gate.
f. Repeat this 5 times and determine the average of the measured times.

5. Now your group needs to figure out how to use this time (use the average) to determine the
acceleration due to gravity.
Put your thinking caps on and discuss among your group. We only give you a few hints:
a. Start by making a sketch and choosing your coordinate system. Per convention,
have the positive y direction point upwards.
b. Take inventory of all the quantities you know. Looking at your sketch and the
coordinate system will help you decide if a quantity is positive or negative.
1. t = 0 is the moment you drop the piece of wood.
2. What is the initial position?
3. What is the initial velocity?
4. What information do you get from the computer program?
c. Consider the 3 kinematic equations (in the 𝑦 direction). Which one(s) should you
use? (Hint: Think about which quantities you know from your sketch and part b.)
1
𝑦 = 𝑦0 + 𝑣0 𝑡 + 𝑎𝑡 2
2
𝑣𝑓 = 𝑣0 + 𝑎𝑡
𝑣𝑓2 = 𝑣02 + 2𝑎𝑦
d. Write down how you will calculate the acceleration and have it checked by the TA.

6. Using your procedure, determine your measured value of the acceleration due to gravity in
the lab.

7. How closely does your result agree with the established value for this quantity that you can
find, for example, in your textbook?

8. Discuss what could have caused the differences between what you found and the
established value and how you could improve the experiment?
Activity 3: Measure the reaction time of a person.

Material: Meter stick

For this exercise you need to know the value of the acceleration due to gravity as determined in Part
2 (it is okay to use your measurement or the established value but clearly write down your choice)

1. Discuss in your group how you can measure a person’s reaction time by dropping a vertical
meter stick and the other person pinching it to stop it. Hint: treat this as an accelerated
motion problem in 1D, like Activity 2.

Make a sketch. What object is undergoing accelerated motion (free fall)? What
measurement does this object provide?

2. Write down your procedure (including equations and calculations) and have it checked out
by your TA.

3. Measure the reaction time of each group member 5 times. Calculate the average reaction
time for each person and discuss.

4. Who is the fastest? Are the reactions times different considering the variation in one
person’s time (i.e. the uncertainty)?

Wrapping Up

1. Please check with your TA for the final check in.

2. Make sure all the lab equipment is neatly arranged and the lab table is cleaned up and
ready for the next lab group.