Title: Measuring time and distance to work out speed
Aim: To investigate how the height of the ramp affects the speed of the cart.
Method:
Step 1: Set and adjust stand to the correct height
Step 2: Measure 1 meter between the two light gates
Step 3: Place cart on top of ramp.
Step 4: let the cart go and start timer
Step 5: Stop the timer when cart passes second light gate
Step 6: Record the time taken for the cart to pass through light gates each time the height of ramp is
changed.
Results:
Height of Time (s) Time (s) Time (s) Average Time Average Speed
ramp (cm) (s) (cm s-1)
10 DNF DNF DNF DNF
13 2.391 3.524 2.320 2.745 36.4
15 2.028 2.351 1.745 2.041 49.0
17 1.356 1.445 1.534 1.445 69.2
19 1.303 1.321 1.227 1.28 78.1
21 1.109 1.263 1.194 1.19 84.0
Conclusion:
As the height of the ramp was increased the speed of the cart also increased (graph). The higher the
ramp the more GPE there is, this then transferred into kinetic energy making the cart move at a faster
or slower speed depending on how high the tilt was.
Evaluation: As an alternative, the investigation is effective, you can measure the distance and time
which then provides you with the speed. The experiment links well to a speed camera because it
measures the time between two points using the same method which can then calculate the speed. As
with other investigations there are some limitations to the investigation, however, if they are sorted
the process can be close to accurate. Limitations which could affect the investigation are if the cart
hits the side of the stand on the way down it will affect the result by slowing the cart down, it could
also move the light gate which would affect the distance that is being measured, these problems can
be resolved but would require remeasuring the distance and repeating the process. The results can also
be affected if the cart is not placed in exactly the same position each time the investigation is carried
out. These issues can be overcome by repeating the process for more accurate results.
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Aim: To investigate how the height of the ramp affects the speed of the cart.
Method:
Step 1: Set and adjust stand to the correct height
Step 2: Measure 1 meter between the two light gates
Step 3: Place cart on top of ramp.
Step 4: let the cart go and start timer
Step 5: Stop the timer when cart passes second light gate
Step 6: Record the time taken for the cart to pass through light gates each time the height of ramp is
changed.
Results:
Height of Time (s) Time (s) Time (s) Average Time Average Speed
ramp (cm) (s) (cm s-1)
10 DNF DNF DNF DNF
13 2.391 3.524 2.320 2.745 36.4
15 2.028 2.351 1.745 2.041 49.0
17 1.356 1.445 1.534 1.445 69.2
19 1.303 1.321 1.227 1.28 78.1
21 1.109 1.263 1.194 1.19 84.0
Conclusion:
As the height of the ramp was increased the speed of the cart also increased (graph). The higher the
ramp the more GPE there is, this then transferred into kinetic energy making the cart move at a faster
or slower speed depending on how high the tilt was.
Evaluation: As an alternative, the investigation is effective, you can measure the distance and time
which then provides you with the speed. The experiment links well to a speed camera because it
measures the time between two points using the same method which can then calculate the speed. As
with other investigations there are some limitations to the investigation, however, if they are sorted
the process can be close to accurate. Limitations which could affect the investigation are if the cart
hits the side of the stand on the way down it will affect the result by slowing the cart down, it could
also move the light gate which would affect the distance that is being measured, these problems can
be resolved but would require remeasuring the distance and repeating the process. The results can also
be affected if the cart is not placed in exactly the same position each time the investigation is carried
out. These issues can be overcome by repeating the process for more accurate results.
1
