Kinematics 2: Testing Reaction Time

Question:
Can you catch my $20 bill when I drop it through your open fingers?

Purpose:
To calculate reaction time based on a falling object.

Common Core Standards:
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.3
    Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks, attending to special cases or exceptions defined in the text.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.5
    Analyze the structure of the relationships among concepts in a text, including relationships among key terms (e.g., force, friction, reaction force, energy).
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.6
    Analyze the author's purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a text, defining the question the author seeks to address.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.7
    Translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into visual form (e.g., a table or chart) and translate information expressed visually or mathematically (e.g., in an equation) into words.

Materials
 Required:

  • Ruler

Procedure:
We are going to measure the distance the index card falls before your partner can catch the falling object.
  • The catcher holds their hand out approximately at eye level.
  • Their partner drops the ruler, and the catcher tries to catch it.
  • Measure where the catcher catches the ruler.
  • “Rinse and Repeat” ten times.

Lab Report:
The work which is documented in a lab notebook should be clear enough that others can follow it, understand it and if necessary, repeat the experimental procedure so as to verify the results.  It is a public record which is documented with the expectation that others could understand it. The ability to thoroughly document and to keep clear, understandable records of one's work is a key skill that the professional scientist must develop.

Your lab report will include the following
  • Title: on the front cover of your lab notebook and on the top of page 1
  • Purpose / Objective: states the purpose of the lab
  • Apparatus: list of materials used in the lab
  • Setup: a diagram of the setup
  • Procedure: the steps to recreate the lab
  • Data: clear and organized measurements made during the lab
  • Calculations: provide calculations in a neat and orderly outline form
  • Conclusion: completely answer the question using complete sentences
  • Discussion of Results: explanation of how the collected data provides support for the statement found in the conclusion; include an error analysis comparing your group's result to the class average