Laura Prince
Jennifer Trent
Experiment for Physical Science
Title: “Graphing Your Motion”
Purpose:
For students to better understand the concepts of motion, velocity, and acceleration through graphing their own movement using LoggerPro. For students to become more familiar with computer technology. To improve students understanding of graphing by seeing “real time” graphing on the computer. To improve students understanding of scientific method, and research laboratory practices.
SOL’s Addressed:
This laboratory will cover the following standards:
State of
PS.1: The student will plan and conduct investigations in which
b) length, mass, volume, density, temperature, weight, and force are accurately
measured and reported using the International System of Units (SI - metric);
c) conversions are made among metric units applying appropriate prefixes;
f) independent and dependent variables, constants, controls, and repeated trials
are identified;
g) valid conclusions are made after analyzing data;
h) research methods are used to investigate practical problems and questions;
i) experimental results are presented in appropriate written form; and
PS.10: Student will investigate and understand scientific principals and technological applications of work, force, and motion
a) speed, velocity, and acceleration
The National Science Education Content Standard B:
As a result of their activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop
understanding of
∙ Motions and forces
“The motion of an object can be described by its position, direction of motion,
and speed. That motion can be measured and represented on a graph”
Safety Issues:
Precautions must be taken with laboratory equipment as the computer and probes are very expensive. In addition, each lab group will require a space or aisle (at least 5 meters in length) to conduct the experiment away from valuable equipment.
Materials:
Computer (PC or Mac), LoggerPro software, ULI, Masking tape, Vernier Motion Detector, Meter stick, Colored Pencils
Procedure: (the 5-E Model)
Prior to starting class, the teachers will set up all lab stations including setting computers.
Engage (5 minutes):
The teacher will ask simple questions to see what the students think about when they hear the words
Distance? (length, miles, meters)
Speed? (How fast something moves, cars, miles per hour)
Which travels the fastest? A jet, car, or person walking?
What is the fastest thing you’ve ever been in? (an airplane, car, train?)
Explore (35 minutes):
∙ A pretest will be given to gauge previous knowledge about motion. The pre-test questions will be written on the board, and the answers will be turned in. (5 minutes)
∙ The teacher will do an in class review of graphing and how to read a graph. Position over Time graphs will be used to refresh students’ memory on graphing. Give some of the shortcomings of manual graphing and lead into probeware and what it is. (5 minutes)
∙ The teacher will do the first part (the Control in Part 1) of the probeware lab with the class. The students will be in groups of 4 or 5 to work on this lab. Go through step-by-step with the class how to operate and manipulate the probeware software. (5 minutes)
∙ The students will complete the rest of Part 1 within their groups. (20 minutes)
Explain (10 minutes)
The teacher will then go over the first part of the lab to ensure that students are completing the lab correctly. Have different groups draw their graphs on the board and answer the questions. Assign the homework problems for the night from Part 1.
End of Period 1
Introduction: (10 minutes)
Do a quick review of previous class period to begin with. Ask some questions about graphing, probeware, and distance/time. Also, go over some of the homework problems from the previous night to ensure that students understand their graphs.
Extend (30 minutes)
Students will in groups complete their activity sheets using the probeware and computers.
Evaluate: (5 minutes)
As a class, come to a consensus of what velocity and acceleration are. Activity sheets will be turned in and Homework due the next class period will be assigned. The Activity sheet and homework will serve as the “lab report”.
Assessment:
|
Performance Criteria |
Evidence |
|
Gain greater understanding of motion and velocity |
Completed pre-test Correctly completed homework questions |
|
Improve computer knowledge |
All group members participated in using the computer Completed activity sheets |
|
Improve graphing knowledge |
Sketched graphs when asked for Correctly completed homework questions |
|
Improve knowledge of scientific method |
Completed activity sheets Correctly completed homework questions |
|
Knowledge of laboratory practice |
All group members participated Safety procedures followed Finished in a reasonable amount of time |
Students will be assessed out of 100 points based on the following rubric.
5pts Students completed task in reasonable amount of time
10pts Each lab group member participated in experiment, including working
10pts Students were careful with equipment and demonstrated good laboratory safety procedures
10pts Students completed pre-test
15pts Students correctly sketched graphs where asked for
15pts Student answered all questions on the activity sheet
35pts Students correctly completed post-lab homework questions (12pts for day 1 and 28 for day 2)
Activity Sheet
for Graphing Your Motion: Name:____________________
Day 1 Class:_____________________
Directions: In
groups of 4 or 5, work on the following activity. Choose ONE group member to be the subject
(the person who walks to/from motion detector).
This person must be the subject in each trial run. You may and should
consult with one another on the answers to the questions, but the final answer
will be your own. Answer questions on
the back of this paper.
Lab Objectives:
-To understand what
distance, velocity, and acceleration are
-To use Probe-ware
in making graphs of your own motion, and interpret these graphs
Materials:
Computer, Logger
Pro, Vernier Motion Detector, Masking Tape, colored pencils, & meter stick
Procedure:
Part 1: Distance
Control:
A. Stand at the 1-m mark on the tapeline
facing the motion detector and the computer screen. Have a partner click the Collect button and
then slowly walk backwards away from the motion detector. Walk along the tapeline and watch the
screen. Try this 3 times for consistent
results.
B.
Choose Store Latest Run on the Data menu. Sketch the graph you obtained on the right
empty graph using a red colored pencil and label 1.
Experiment:
Question 1: What will the graph look like if you move
faster? Write your prediction
below. Repeat step A
moving faster this time. Choose Store
Latest Run on the Data menu.
Question 2: Sketch the graph you obtain on the right with
a blue colored pencil and label 2. Was
your prediction correct? If it was not
correct, stop and talk about this with your group.
Question 3: What will the graph look like if you move
slower? Write your prediction
below. Repeat step A
moving very slow this time. Choose Store
Latest Run on the Data menu. Sketch the
graph above using a green colored pencil and label 3.
Question 4: What will the graph look like if you move
towards the motion detector instead of away?
Write your prediction below. Repeat
step A, but this time start at the 4-m mark and come
forward towards the 1-m mark. Was your
prediction correct? Sketch the graph you
obtained above with a purple colored pencil and label 4.
Question 5: What are the dependent and independent variables in this
experiment?
Activity Sheet
for Graphing Your Motion: Name:____________________
Day 2 Class:_____________________
Directions for
the Lab: In groups of 4 or 5, work on the following
activity. Choose ONE group member to be
the subject (the person who walks to/from motion detector). This person must be the subject in each trial
run. You may and should consult with one
another on the answers to the questions, but the final answer will be your
own. Answer questions on the back of
this paper.
Materials:
Computer, Logger
Pro, Vernier Motion Detector, Masking Tape, colored pencils, & meter stick
Procedure:
Part 2: Velocity
Control:
A. Stand at the 1-m mark on the tapeline facing
the motion detector and the computer screen.
This might work best if you use your notebook or book and hold it in
front of you. Have a partner click the
Collect button and then slowly walk backwards away from the motion
detector. Try this 3 times for
consistent results
B.
Choose Store Latest Run on the Data menu. Sketch the graph you obtained on the right
empty graph using a red colored pencil and label 1.
Experiment:
Question 1: What will the graph look like if you move
faster? Write your prediction
below. Repeat step A
moving faster this time. Choose Store
Latest Run on the Data menu.
Question 2: Sketch the graph you obtain on the right with
a blue colored pencil and label 2. Was
your prediction correct? If it was not correct,
stop and talk about this with your group.
Question 3: What will the graph look like if you move
slower? Write your prediction
below. Repeat step a moving very slow
this time. Choose Store Latest Run on
the Data menu. Sketch the graph above
using a green colored pencil and label 3.
Question 4: What will the graph look like if you move
towards the motion detector instead of away?
Write your prediction below.
Repeat step a, but this time start at the 4-m mark and come forward
towards the 1-m mark. Was your
prediction correct? Sketch the graph you
obtained above with a purple colored pencil and label 4.
Question 5: What
are the dependent and independent variables in this experiment?
Part 3: Fun With
the Motion Detector
A.
Prepare the computer for data collection by clicking File, then Open and
choosing “Exp 35b”
from the Physical Science with Computers experiment files of LoggerPro. A distance vs. time graph, with a broken
line, should appear on the screen.
B. Try to match the broken line by moving toward
or away from the motion detector. Have
everyone in your group try to match the broken line. See who can get the best line. Sketch what your graph looks like to the
right.
Question 1: What did you have to do to match the graph on
the screen?
C.
Prepare the computer for data collection by clicking File, then Open and
choosing “Exp
35d” from the Physical Science with Computers experiment files of
LoggerPro. A velocity vs. time graph,
with a broken line, should appear on the screen.
D. Try to match the broken line by moving toward
or away from the motion detector. Have
everyone in your group try to match the broken line. See who can get the best line. Sketch what your graph looks like to the
right.
Question 2: What did you have to do to match the graph on
the screen?
Activity Sheet
for Graphing Your Motion: Name:____________________
Day 2 Class:_____________________
Part 4: Challenge-Acceleration:
Procedure:
A. Prepare the computer for data collection by
clicking File, then Open and choosing “Exp 35e” from the Physical Science
with Computers experiment files of LoggerPro.
Three “empty” graphs should appear on the screen. The top one is a distance vs. time graph. The middle one is a velocity vs. time
graph. And, the bottom graph is an acceleration vs. time graph.
B. Stand at the 1-m mark on the tape line, this
time with your back to the motion detector.
Have your partner click Collect.
Pause for about one second and then walk rapidly to the 3-m mark and
stop. Say “stop” when you have
stopped. As you say “stop”, your partner
should click Stop.
Question 1: Sketch your 3 resulting graphs below:
Question 2: How does the acceleration vs. time graph
differ from the other two graphs?
Question 3: Describe the acceleration part of your
velocity vs. time graph.
Question 4: Describe the acceleration part of your
acceleration vs. time graph.
Question 5: Describe the deceleration part of your
velocity vs. time graph.
Question 6: Describe the deceleration part of your
acceleration vs. time graph.
Question 7: What is acceleration?
Graphing Your Motion Name:____________________
Class:_____________________
Homework
Problems for Part 1:
Question 1: Look at your graph you sketched in Part
1. Describe the difference between the
first line you graphed (red line labeled 1) and the second line you graphed
(blue line labeled 2). Explain why the
lines are different.
Question 2: Again
look at your graph from Part 1, how far (in meters) did your subject move in 2
seconds?
Question 3: If your subject had traveled for 7 seconds,
how far (in centimeters) would they have moved?
Question 2: Sketch a distance vs. time graph for a car
that starts slowly, moves down the street, stops at a stop sign, and then
starts slowly again.
5. Why did I allow you to have only ONE group member as the subject?
Graphing Your Motion: Name:____________________
Class:_____________________
Homework
Problems for Parts 2 and 3:
Question 1: Look at your graph you sketched for Part
2. Describe the difference between the
first line you graphed (red line labeled 1) and the second line you graphed
(blue line labeled 2). Explain why the
lines are different.
Question 2: Why did the lines not change (They were
straighter) than the lines in the distance graphs you drew in Part 1?
Question 3: What is the definition of velocity?
Question 4: Look at your graph in Part 2, how many minutes
would it have taken your subject t o travel 12 meters?
Question 4: Sketch a velocity vs. time
graph for a person who walks, stops for a few
seconds, and then starts to run.
Question 5: Describe the motion needed to make this
graph:
If it is a distance vs. time graph?
If it is a
velocity vs. time graph?