Aidan Swiatlowski

Mrs. Wagner

6th hour

7 October 2016

Constant Velocity of the Buggies

For this lab, the objective is to complete three tasks regarding the velocity and speed of

two buggies. Both buggies will stay at a constant velocity. This lab was organized in a clear

space in the classroom with Casey as the time keeper, Alyssa as the car operator, Janie as the

data recorder and myself as the tape marker. The purpose of this lab in part 1 is to determine the

constant speed of two buggies that may or may not be traveling at different speeds. To determine

that, students must find a way to graphically determine the speed of the buggies by evaluating

the distance they traveled and the time in which the buggies do so. In part 2, students will

construct a position time graph that will predict the collision time of two buggies. Lastly, in part

3, students will attempt to determine a time when a faster buggy with overtake the slower of the

two when given a headstart. The group predicted that the buggy would travel 0.4m/s as seen on

the pre-lab prediction graph.

Materials:

- Constant velocity carts - Graph paper - Computers

- Masking tape - Rulers - Stop watches

- Calculators - Meter sticks

Procedure (part 1):

1. Make a prediction as to how fast the first buggy’s velocity is shown through a position

vs. time graph.

2. Gather all materials.

3. Place a meter stick on the ground and put a piece of tape on the ground of each end of the

meter stick to mark 1 meter.

4. Keep moving the meter stick up to the top of the last piece of tape placed then add

another to the end of the meter stick.

5. Continue until you have a total of 5 continuous meters marked off.

6. Place the front end of an odd numbered buggy (#5) at the first piece of tape.

7. Start buggy and the stopwatch at the same time.

8. Every time the front end of the buggy reaches a piece of tape, lap the time. (this option is

available on an Iphone.)

9. End the stopwatch when the buggy reaches 5 meters.

10. Record all data.

11. Plot a position-time graph with the slope representing the velocity of the first buggy.

12. Repeat steps 5-11 for a second buggy with an even number (#6).

Procedure (part 2):

1. Create a position-time graph that shows where the 2 buggies would collide by using the

slopes, or velocities, found in part 1, starting the first buggy at 0 meters and the second

buggy at 5 meters.
 2. Turn both buggies on at the same time, at the positions mentioned in step 1, and start the

stopwatch.

(you may use the same measurement taped out in part 1)

3. Record the time and distance where the buggies collide with each other.

Procedure (part 3):

1. Make an equation to determine when one of the buggies would overtake the other after

the slower of the two got a head start.

2. Turn on the slower buggy and place it down on the first piece of tape and 0 meters.

3. Let it travel for 3 seconds before starting the second buggy at 0 meters.

4. Record the time and distance where the the second buggy overtakes the first one.

Data:

Calculations:

Part 1:

Buggy #6 - Displacement / Time = Velocity

5-0 / 17.33-0 = 0.2885 = ​0.29m/s

Buggy #5 - Displacement / Time = Velocity

5-0 / 52.6-0 = ​0.095m/s

Part 2:

Predictions - collide at: ​14s

Buggy #6 travel ​3.8m Buggy #5 travel ​1.2m

This was determined by sketching a graph and finding where they would intersect. The distance

traveled can be found by subtracting the y coordinate of the intersection point at 3.8 meters (from

whichever buggy you are trying to find) and then subtracting that from 5.

Buggy #6: 5 - 1.2 = ​3.8m

Buggy #5: 5 - 3.8 = ​1.2m

The results show that took 13.36s for the buggies to collide and buggy #6 traveled about 3.8m

while buggy #5 traveled about 1.2m.

Part 3:

Equations -

Buggy #6: ​y = 0.29x - 0.87

Buggy #5: ​y = 0.095x

The slopes of the equations were determined in part 1, the velocity calculated is also the slope.

The y-intercept in buggy #6’s equation was determined through the speed formula:

Speed = Distance / Time 0.29(slope) = d(y-intercept) / 3(the head start given to buggy #5)

d = ​0.87

It was predicted that it would take 4.46s for the faster buggy(#6) to overtake the slower

buggy(#5). This was determined by setting the equations equal to each other.
0.29x - 0.87 = 0.095x (velocity of buggy #6)(t) - (3 seconds) = (velocity of buggy #5)

x = 4.46s

It was predicted that at 0.42m, the faster buggy would overtake the slower buggy. This was

determined by plugging in the time it will take for the fast buggy to overtake the slower buggy

into the x in the equation and solve.

y = 0.095 (4.46) y = 0.42m

The actual experiment came out to a total of 4.4 seconds and 1.4 seconds of those for buggy #6

with a distance of 0.48m.

Questions (part 1):

a. The slope of the line on the position-time graph represents the velocity.

b. The slope of the line on the velocity-time graph represents that the velocity is constant.

c. The area under the curve on the velocity-time graph represents the total distance traveled,

or displacement.

d. Buggy #6: 5.5 (.29) = ​1.595m Buggy #5: 5.5 (0.095) = ​0.52m

I consulted the velocity-time graph because the area represents the total distance traveled

at 5.5 seconds.

e. Buggy #6: t = s / d (5km = 5,000m) 5,000 / 0.29 = ​17,241 seconds

Buggy #5: t = s / d (5km = 5,000m) 5,000 / 0.095 = ​52,631 seconds

After conducting the experiment, it was found that the the groups hypothesis of the buggy

traveling 0.4m/s was incorrect. When the experiment was over, the group found that buggy #6

traveled at a rate of 0.29m/s and buggy #5 traveled at a rate of 0.095m/s. The predictions were
based off of how the group saw the buggy moving and guessed at an appropriate velocity. In part

1, the velocity of the two buggies were found. In part 2, it was determined where and when the

two buggies would collide with each other. Lastly, in part 3, it was determined where and when

the faster of the two buggies would overtake the slower buggy. While performing the experiment

there were areas that could have affected the groups data. For example, when laying down the

tape pieces in part one, the measurements could have been off even a little bit which could have

affected the whole rest of the experiment. Also, when lapping each time the buggy reached a new

piece of tape, the button could have been pressed too soon or too late which would have affected

the data as well. If the experiment was conducted again, the group would make sure that the tape

was measured perfectly and everyone in the group could watch the timer to help and make sure

the time was lapped right when it needed to be.