Purpose:

The purpose of this lab is to explore the speed and velocity along with the predictive power of plots.

Procedure:

For this lab you will need paper and pencil to record raw data along with meter sticks and a sense of humor. You will also need to have made sense of last week's lab since, conceptually, this is a very similar lab:

• I) Process Description: In this lab our first task in this lab is, once again, to figure out how to calibrate our measurement tool. Describe each of the important steps in your groups process for determining how fast you walk. Be sure to note where you decided to start and stop the measurement, how many times you collected the data, and how you will use that data. No calculations or numbers at this point – that’s the next step.

• II) Calibration: In this part you will present the actual data you and the classmates in your group collected in its full and original glory. Create a table to organize and enter the data so that you are also aware of who took/generated each data point. You will need to label each column so you know that the data represents and be sure to note the units. You will have at least three data points for each person here.

• III) Calculation: Now take the numbers from the previous data table and show me how you calculated the speed at which you walk. Show at least one of the calculations completely so your reader understands how you did it. Calculate your walking speed for each test individually so you know the extremes and the average results. Report the average speed as well as the minimum and maximum.

• IV) Plot: Now we need to create an x vrs t plot of our progress through the world at our wonderfully controlled walking speed. On a piece of graph paper draw straight lines that represent your progress as you walk. These need to span a potential elapsed time of 20 s and start at the origin. This is likely to be a good bit longer time than you used in your calibration. Plot your minimum speed, maximum speed, and average speed on the same plot. These straight lines will look like a fan from the origin.

• V) Challenge: Your group will be taken to the hallway or out to the sidewalk. One person will be the designated walker. With the rest of the group facing away the instructor will start the designated walker from an unknown spot. The other members of the group will record the time that it takes the walker to arrive at their position. If need be the experiment can be repeated.

• VI) Meaning: Where did your classmate start walking? By looking at the time you recorded and the plot of their walking speed you can determine where they started walking from either in the hallway or on the sidewalk. Use the plot to determine the minimum, maximum, and average (most likely) distance to the walkers starting point. Using the known length of your pace determine where the designated walker started from and show your instructor.

LAB DELIVERABLES (turn in):

Turn in your descriptions and data in one document (thru Turnitin on Bb) that show your work on each of the steps given above. Create a smooth narrative that leads your reader through the steps of the process and describes how they relate to the task at hand. In places where you need to show math calculations you can do your math by hand on white paper and take a jpg to insert or turn in a separate calculation page (hand written) to me directly. If you do this remember to number and reference your calculations in the document you turn in. I DO NOT recommend using Mathtype in Word -- it is very painful and time consuming.