Average Speed Lab - Urban Steelworks



Average Speed Lab

Most objects in motion don’t move at a constant speed for very long. If we could measure any moving object absolutely accurately then we would find absolutely nothing ever moves at a constant speed! Probably the closest thing to an object moving at a constant speed is light traveling from a star in space at approximately 300,000,000 m/s. Light is actually measured at 299 792 458 m/s in a vacuum. But even light slows down in space if it collides with the molecules and atoms of gasses spread throughout the Universe because even space isn’t completely empty (In the Universe, on average, there is one atom/cubic meter – remember an atom is a billion times smaller than a meter!).

In this lab you will find your average speed by walking different speeds over different distances.

1. Measure out 10 meters on the ground. Have one person stand at the start at 0 meters and one person stand at 10 meters. One person will time you as you walk this distance by counting in a regular metered voice by saying “one one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand” etc.

2. Begin walking about 3 steps before the start and walk past the start and past the finish. Stop walking 3 steps past the finish. The person timing you should begin timing as you go past the start and stop when you pass the finish.

Write down the time it took you to walk 10 meters here: _____________

3. Now repeat the walk two more times but measure a distance of 15 and then 20

meters. Have a person time you the same way each time you walk and try to walk at the same speed.

Write down the times it took you here: 15 meters: ______ , 20 meters: ______

4. Now find the speed for each walk by dividing the distance by the time. Don’t forget your units (m/s). Use the formula Speed =[pic]

Speed for 10 meters = ________

Speed for 15 meters = ________

Speed for 20 meters = ________

Now find your average speed by using the formula: average speed = total distance / total time. Show your work and don’t forget the proper units for average speed (m/s)!

Write down the total distance:__________ Write down the total time:_____________

Now find the average speed: Average speed = [pic]=

Now answer the following questions.

1. For each of your separate 3 walks were you able to walk at a constant speed? Why is average

speed a more accurate description of an objects motion in the real world?

2. Why were you timed after you started walking and before you quit walking?

3. What is the one thing in the Universe that moves mostly at a constant speed? What

is its speed?

4. What is velocity? Give a velocity example of a person walking to school.

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