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Trial 1 - Messing Around

1. Before beginning Trial 1 set up the walking track. Refer to Technical Hints to set up the walking track.

2. If someone is running toward you or away from you, how could you find out how far away he or she is at any moment without using a meter stick or tape measure? Discuss this question with your team and write down some of your ideas.
   
   
3. The following motion graph of a person walking was made with a motion sensor. Study and discuss the motions shown in the graph with your team and then answer the questions below.

   

   
   When does the person move forward? How close to the motion sensor does the student start?
   
   
4. With your back to the motion sensor, try to reproduce the graph shown above. Refer to Technical Hints to connect the motion sensor. Refer to Technical Hints to record a series of measurements. Repeat until you reproduce the curved wave. Save the graph. Refer to Technical Hints to save a graph.
   
   
5. Did you need to change speeds to create the graph? Explain.
   
   
6. Try calculating the forward change in speed of the student according to the graph. The student moved forward 1 meter in 2 seconds before stopping. That means that his speed was 1 meter per second or 0.5 m/s. Verbalize in your own words how to determine speed from a graph.
   
   
7. Now it is your turn. What was the speed of the student when he moved backwards? Describe your method for determining speed.
   
   
8. Keep in mind that a positive slope (lean of the line) results in a positive speed. A negative slope of the line results in a negative speed. Was the motion of the student walking backwards, positive or negative? Write your answer below.