Physical Science 111

Velocity and Acceleration Lab

Name:_________________________________ Class:_______________

Materials (per group of 4):

Push Cart, 2 stopwatches, Masking tape, Meterstick

Pre-Lab Questions:
1. Define displacement, average velocity, elapsed time, and acceleration.

2. What measurements must be made to determine the velocity of an object that begins at rest?

3. What measurements must be made to determine the accelaration of an object that begins at rest?

4. What is the average velocity of an object that begins at 0 m and travels in a positive direction for 35.2
m taking 6.7 seconds?

5. What is the acceleration of the same object if it changed from the velocity in problem 4 to a new
velocity of 8.3 m/s over 12 seconds?

Procedure:
1. Find a level surface suitable for riding the pushcart.
2. Place a piece of masking tape on the ground at the starting point. Label X1.
3. Using a meterstick, measure 4 meters from the first tape. Mark the 4-meter distance with another
piece of masking tape, labeling it X2.
4. Place a third piece of tape 3 meters past the 4-meter tape, labeling it X3. See diagram below.

X1 X2 X3
5. The pushcart will start at the zero meter mark.
6. Have one person stand with stopwatch 1 at the 4-meter mark. Have another member of your group
stand with stopwatch 2 at the 7-meter mark.
7. One person will act as the starter. When the starter says, “GO!” the person on the cart will begin
pushing themselves as fast as they can past the 7-meter mark. At the same time, have your classmates
start both stopwatches.
8. Stopwatch 1 will record the time (ti) it takes for the pushcart to reach the 4-meter mark. Stopwatch 2
will time the full 7 meters (tf).
9. Try several practice runs.
10. When you obtain consistent time results, take three time trials and record the times in the Data Table.

Observations:

Trial t0 to 4 m t0 to 7 m v1 v2 t4to7m a
(sec) (sec)
1
2
3
Calculations (Show all Work):
1. Calculate the average velocity (v1) between the 0-meter mark and 4-meter mark for each trial and
record in the table above.

2. Calculate the average velocity (v2) between the 0-meter mark and 7-meter mark for each trial and
record in the table above.

3. We will assume that there is a constant acceleration from the 0-meter mark and the 7-meter mark.
Calculate the time it took the cart and rider to accelerate from the 4-meter mark to the 7-meter mark
for each trial and record in the table above.

4. Using the time calculated in #3, calculate the acceleration from 4 meters to 7 meters for each trial and
record in the table above.