TECHNOLOGY-BASED LAB ACTIVITIES

DATA TABLE
Distance between photogates (m), d
Table height (m), ∆y
Launch
point
Trial
Time (s),
∆t
Horizontal
velocity (m/s),
v
Horizontal
distance (m),
∆x
Average
velocity (m/s),
v
Average
distance (m),
∆x
Low
Medium
High
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
ANALYSIS
1. Calculating Use your time intervals and the distance between the photogates
to calculate the horizontal velocity, v, of the ball for each trial. Velocity
can be calculated as v = d/∆t. Enter these values in your data table.
2. Averaging Determine the average velocity and average horizontal distance
for the ball traveling from each mark on the ramp, and enter them in your
data table. Which mark produced the greatest average velocity?
3. Graphing data Use your calculator or a piece of graph paper to graph your
data. Plot average velocity, v, as the independent variable and average horizontal
distance, ∆x, as the dependent variable. How does the graph compare
to the sketch that you drew for item 2 of Developing the Model?
4. Interpreting graphs The graph of your data should suggest a linear relationship
between the horizontal velocity, v, and horizontal distance, ∆x,
according to the following equation:
∆x = s obs v
where s obs is the slope of a line through the observational data. Use two
points on the graph to calculate a slope, s obs , using the following equation:
s obs = ∆x 2 −∆x 1
⎯⎯
v2 − v 1
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22 HOLT PHYSICS Technology-Based Lab Activities