Name: _________________________________ Period: ____

Toy Car Motion Lab

Part I: Create a hypothesis, figure out the time between dots at constant velocity (see Part I sheet)

PURPOSE: To observe the motion of a toy car, create and analyze position versus time and velocity versus
time graphs of this motion

HYPOTHESIS: You need to write what you think will happen in terms of the motion of the car, as well as
what your position and time graph and velocity and time graph will look like when completed.

My hypothesis:

The car will take off slow and then the velocity will increase and it will begin to move at a
constant speed until it stops. I believe the time graph will depend on the position and vice vers. So
if the position is a higher number, the time graph will also be.

MATERIALS:
Metric measuring tape Pull-Back Toy car
Long Flat Surface Masking tape

PROCEDURE:

TRIAL RUN WITH:

1. Set up a horizontal runway. Make sure the car has enough space to stop.
2. Note the distance you want to pull the car back, then pull it back positioning the car close to the
spark timer pointed straight down the “runway”. You will need to pull it back the same length for
every trial.
EXPERIMENTAL TEST RUN:
3. Setup by Repeating steps 1 and 2
4. Make sure your car is at the correct pull back distance (control variable).
5. Start your stopwatch(found on phone or computer).
6. When the toy car has stopped, stop the timer also.
7. Repeat for 10 trials.
Part II Analyzing Data

DATA/RESULTS:

1. Use the data table with the following headings. Make sure to understand/read carefully what each
column asks for data input.

2. Figure out your UNITS of measurement and look at the diagram below:

Example:
Time (t) Position (x)
 0.00 0.00 (d0)
0.10 2.54 (d1)
0.20 6.73 (d2)
0.30 10.28 (d3)
… …

3. Using a meter stick, measure the length from the starting point to the ending point. Record the
length in the position column of your table.

data 1
Time (t) Position (x)
2.48 68 (in)
2.52 71 (in)
2.01 68 (in)
2.37 73 (in)
1.97 77 (in)

data (cont.)
Time (t) Position (x)
2.08 69 (in)
2.22 72 (in)
2.64 70 (in)
2.42 68 (in)
2.12 69 (in)

Part III Creating Graphs

4. Create a position-time graph from the data table. Label all axes.
5. From the position-time graph, create a velocity-time graph. Or simply fill in the rest of the data
table (calculate change in position over change in time = velocity).
6. Make sure all graphs are clearly labeled, show appropriate scales on the axes, and have titles.
Connect the points with an appropriate line of best fit (straight or curved). The line of best fit
can be created using Excel -and it gives you a formula too!

● Use instantaneous velocities (see reading below for description). Make sure you show these
tangents (use different colors help to make it clear)! Remember to show sample calculations
for this.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------REA
D THE FOLLOWING:
There is a special thing called instantaneous velocity. That's the velocity at a split second in time.
Above, we were talking about your speed and direction over a long period of time. Why would you
need to measure a velocity at one moment? Think about the moment you drove over the manhole. It's
important to know if you were going 1 km/hr when you drove over the manhole, or 60 km/hr. It
wouldn't help you to know that your average speed was 30 km/hr.
The term "instantaneous" refers to something physicists call a limit. Scientists "limit" the amount of
time they do the measurement. When the "limit" moves to zero, that limit is one tiny moment in time. A
physicist would measure your velocity as the "limit for a period of time", zero, to get the instantaneous
velocity.

Changing Your Velocity (acceleration):

When velocity is changing, the word acceleration is used.

Acceleration is also a vector. You speed up if the acceleration and
velocity point in the same direction. You slow down (also
referred to as decelerating) if the acceleration and velocity point
in opposite directions. When you accelerate or decelerate, you
change your velocity by a specific amount over a specific amount
of time (change in velocity over change in time = acceleration).

Just as with velocity, there is something called instantaneous

acceleration. Instantaneous means scientists measure your
acceleration for a specific moment of time. That way they can
say he was accelerating at exactly this amount at this point during his trip.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part IV Analyzing Graphs

ANALYSIS - to answer along with your graphs:

POSITION-TIME GRAPH:

1. Describe the motion of the car in terms of position.

In terms of position, the car was kept vertical and moved fast at a constant.
2. Are there any parts of the graph where the car was traveling with uniform or constant
velocity? How can you tell?
I believe the car traveled at constant velocity when the kinetic energy was at its max.
You can tell by the speed and position of the car.
3. Label any constant velocities on your graph (include a key)
Some constant velocities include 28,32 and 33.
4. Are there parts of the graph that indicate that the car was accelerating (changing velocity
over time)? How can you tell?
The car accelerated at take off. You can tell by the speed of the car and how it moves
up before going to a constant.
5. What is the relationship between the steepness of the slope of the graph and the velocity of
the movement?
The steepenss likely shows when the velocity is at its peak or is decreasing.
6. Where was the car’s velocity the greatest (Give specific points and label this on your graph –
colors & a key help).
The cars velocity was the greatest when it was in the middle after the acceleration, at
its constant speed. In my graph I showed the velocity right before it reached its peak.
If you were to keep going you would see the high in my velocity at the center
 7. What is the average velocity of the car for the entire journey? How did you figure this out?
The average velocity is 28. I figured this out by finding the mean average.

VELOCITY-TIME GRAPH:

8. According to the velocity-time graph, are there any segments when the car was undergoing
uniform acceleration (constant)? How can you tell?
Towards the middle it underwent uniform acceleration. I could tell because it was at a
constant speed before the ar slowed down.
9. Calculate the average acceleration for any segments that appear to be uniform.
The average acceleration for my uniform segments are around 1.23 seconds and are at the
velocities peak (so whatever the velocity is in that particular trial.)
10. Describe any other useful information you gathered from analyzing the graphs.

The average amount of seconds as a whole on my chart is about 2.20 seconds. I found this out by
using the mean average to calculate.

Part V - CONCLUSION

(Written in paragraph form or numbered are both acceptable. Handwritten neatly is acceptable,
typed is extra points on the rubric.)

Please use complete thoughts and sentences.

1. A great way to begin your conclusion is by writing a few sentences about what we are/were
studying in class that DIRECTLY relates to the experiment. Be specific.
2. Describe the observed motion of your pull back car.
3. Compare how this observed motion relates to shapes of the curves and the calculated velocities
and accelerations on the graphs.
4. Why are position-time graphs and velocity-time graphs useful for the study of motion?
5. What are the limitations of these graphs?
6. Explain any problems encountered during the experiment that could account for errors in the data.
Include uncertainty of measurement somewhere on your data table 🡪 (1/2 the smallest increment
on your measurement tool +/- all your data points).
7. Describe any changes you would make to this lab in the future.
8. Describe how you can use the information learned in the experiment in the real world.
9. Feel free to add any other comments you feel are relevant to the lab (🡨 extra effort).

In conclusion, in class, we have studied motion, velocity, displacement as well as acceleration.

This relates to the experiment because, in the car motion lab, we calculated the velocity and
recorded the displacement and acceleration. The entire lab is based on motion and the
distance of the car and how and why it's running the way it is. My observed motion is that
the car has no reason not to go vertically unless you pull it back the wrong way. This reminds
me of Newton's 3rd law that every action has an equal reaction. If you pull the car back
sideways, the car will react and run off sideways. The observed motion relates to shapes and
curves and the calculated velocities and accelerations on the graphs by giving the same
information and the direction in which the car went. The graphs are useful for the study of
motion because they show information in a clearer way. Although there are limitations to the
graphs. The graphs are unable to capture ALL of the information. I had issues during the
experiment with the measurements. Because the car went farther than my measurement tape
nearly each time, I had to take the measurement and re-apply it which could have caused
some errors in the experiment data. In the future, I would do fewer trial runs and more
calculations. I would also get longer measurement tape in the future so I leave no room for
errors. I can use this in the real world by making calculations when I am driving or on the
road.
What should I turn in?!

• This lab procedure sheet – your name/hypothesis should be on top (include the Part I
instructions)
• Attach position-time, velocity-time graphs (acceleration-time for Extra Credit)

• Analyses for each graph

• Conclusion Questions

• Rubric