First-hand Investigation: Describing Motion Plan, choose equipment or resources for, and perform a first-hand investigation to measure the

e average speed of an object or vehicle.

Discussion: People move at different speeds, they may walk, run, speed up or slow down. In moving about, the direction of travel usually changes. In this investigation a straight-line path is chosen to simplify the analysis. In planning the investigation a suitable distance is chosen so that it is appropriate to the use of a stopwatch as a timing device. Aim: To describe the motion of people moving in different ways over a distance of approximately 60 metres. Use the imperative to write a list of instructions for another class to carry out the investigation that you performed. (Use the diagram below to help clarify the instructions).

Equipment: List the equipment and resources needed to conduct this investigation. Method:

Results:

Record all results in an appropriate table Present all the results on a single distance-time graph and draw a line of best fit for each set of data. (Do not plot average values onto the graph. Refer to resource material that details the requirements of tables and graphs.).

Analysis 1. Describe qualitatively the motion represented by each line on the graph. (Write a separate paragraph for each.) 2. Calculate the average time taken for each person to reach the 30 m and the 60 m marks. 3. Calculate the gradient of the two graphs showing approximately uniform motion and state clearly what the gradient of each graph represents. Quantitatively compare the motion of the two people using the results of these calculations. 4. Use the data collected at the 60 m mark to calculate the average speed of each of the three people. Write the formula and show the substitution of results into the formula, final answer and units in your answer. 5. Compare your answers for questions 3 and 4. 1

Discussion Use the following scaffold to write a discussion about this investigation. Write complete sentences for each paragraph. Paragraph 1 Identify the independent and dependent variables and a (significant not air temperature for example!) variable that was kept constant. Paragraph 2 Outline what was done to determine the validity of the measurements made using the trundle wheel. (Check your glossary of key words) Paragraph 3 Outline the sources and identify type of error produced by the use of stopwatches in this investigation. Describe what was done to establish that the time measurements were valid. What assumption was made about the stopwatches and how could this assumption be validated? Paragraph 4 Scientific experiments are usually repeated to demonstrate that the results are reliable. Outline the main difficulty that would be encountered in trying to repeat this investigation so that it was exactly the same each time. Paragraph 5 Propose how this investigation could be improved. (At least three points are required in this paragraph.) Conclusion Write a paragraph that is consistent with the aim of the investigation. It is important that this paragraph summarises the key findings - not simply states that the aim was accomplished.

Speed of animals
Animal Swift Peregrine falcon Eider duck Sailfish Cheetah Pigeon Rabbit Speed(km/h) 352 298 114 110 110 90 72 Animal Shark Dog Horse Man Rat Ant Snail Speed(km/h) 70 68 70 38 10 0.032 0.0002

A few adult animals, such as sponges, sea anemones and oysters, sit like plants and wait for their food to come to them. Most animals, however, go after it and this frequently develops lento a speed contest between the hunter and Its prey. Foxes must be fast enough to catch rabbits; and rabbits, in turn, must be fast enough for some of them to escape. However, such speed trials are not run on race tracks or according to any rules of racing. The fox is able to beat the rabbit on a straight-away, but the rabbit can dodge quicker and gain time by plunging through bushes and briars. Some animals win by short bursts of speed while others are noted for their endurance. Accurate records of the speed of animals are rather scarce. The best measurements have been made in recent years by following them with an automobile or airplane and reading a speedometer, or by using movie cameras, stopwatches and other devices. The world's record for speed among living things Is best established for the Indian spinetailed swift, a bird which was repeatedly clocked In level flight, over a carefully measured two-mile course, in as little as 32.8 seconds or 352 km/h. The European peregrine, a hawk used in falconry, was timed at 290 km/h during its dive after quarry. 2

Check your report

Did you use the imperative in the method as required? Are your tables complete? They should have the following:
o A heading above the table o Fully-enclosed cells for the entire table o Quantities written (in words) at the top of each column (or start of each row) o Symbols for units written in parentheses under the quantity but not after each datum. Are your graphs complete? They should have the following: o A heading above the graph o Quantities labelled on axes e.g. Time, distance o An appropriate scale which means convenient subdivisions and using most of the graph paper o Symbols for units written in parentheses under the quantity o Points plotted using an X for accuracy and clarity o Line of best fit, smoothly curved or straight, plotted points equally distributed on each side Did you show working for calculations (at least one fully-worked sample of each)? Did you write units after each quantity calculated? e.g. 1.5 m s-1 Did you correctly identify the independent variable? (the speed at which the person moved) Did you correctly identify the dependent variable? (the time taken to cover successive 10 m intervals) Did you explain how to make manual stopwatch measurements valid? (See below) Was your conclusion specific to the aim, and quantitative? Could you extrapolate your graph and propose any limitations of this process?

A valid measurement is one that accurately measures what is intended. For the measurement to be valid, the stopwatch must be working properly i.e. keeping accurate time, have buttons working responsively. It must also be operated correctly. The accepted method is to use the thumb to start and stop timing. Measurements tend to improve with practice, and the improvement can be related to generally to measuring anything and to specific observational skills relating to the event being measured e.g. a timekeeper in a swimming race gets better with practice at timing the finish of races because the timekeeper learns to anticipate the finish more accurately and press the stop button at the correct time. Re-write the following in the imperative. The timekeeper stopped the stopwatch as the persons front foot crossed the line. .............................................................................................................................................................................. Re-write the following in the simple past tense. Enter the collected data in a graph. .............................................................................................................................................................................. Draw lines of best fit on each of the following graphs.