Lesson 3 of 12 · Kinematics
Experiment⭐ 30 XPAcceleration: the Rate Velocity Changes
Kinematics.
🎯 Your mission
Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).
⚡ The twist
Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.
Mind = Blown
🔬 The more you look, the more nature shows you.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.
What You'll Learn
Acceleration is change in velocity divided by the time taken, measured in metres per second squared. It is negative when an object slows, and it is non-zero even at constant speed if the direction is changing.
Key Words
Tap a word to see its definition.
Materials Needed
- ramp or board
- ball
- stopwatch
- metre rule
- masking tape
Safety First
- Clamp or brace the ramp so it cannot slide.
- Catch the ball at the bottom so it does not roll into a walkway.
Steps
Read the explanation above and note the two key terms before you start.
Roll a ball down a ramp and time it past marks at 0.5 m, 1.0 m and 1.5 m. Plot distance against time, then against time squared. The second plot should be a straight line — that is the signature of constant acceleration.
Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.
Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 2A car goes from 0 to 20 m/s in 8 s. What is its acceleration?
Where you see this in real life
This shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Try one experiment in real life this week — even a tiny one.
For the dinner table
“What's the most surprising thing you learned today?”
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Acceleration: the Rate Velocity Changes
Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).
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