PHYSICS
LAB EXERCISE
AVERAGE VELOCITY
NAME: ____________________________ DATE: _____
PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between average and instantaneous velocity.
MATERIALS: about a 1.5 m long ticker tape, ticker timer, Crawler, adhesive tape
PROCEDURE:
1. Feed the ticker tape through the timer as demonstrated by your instructor. Attach the ticker
tape to the Crawler.
2. Turn the timer on and turn on the Crawler. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for each person in your group
3. Make a slash THROUGH the first dot on each tape. Mark this as "START".
4. Since the timer makes 60 dots every second, make a slash THROUGH every sixth dot. This
will tell you each 1/10 (0.1) second.
5. Measure the distance from the first slash to the last slash on your tape (in cm). Record this
distance on the line.
Total Distance = __________ cm
6. Count the number of slashes after Start. Record this number on the line.
Number of slashes = __________
7. Measure the distances between the START and each slash (in cm) on your tape. BE EXACT!
Record these distances in the "d" column of data table.
CALCULATIONS:
Part One - Completing the Data Table
1. Calculate the t for each time interval by subtracting the two time measurements that flank
that box. Record your answers down the "t" Column.
2. Calculate the d for each time interval by subtracting the two distance measurements that
flank that box. Record your answers down the "d" Column.
3. Use the equation va = ∆d ÷ ∆t to find the average speeds during each 0.1 second of the trips.
Fill your answers down the va column.
Part Two - Calculating the Average of the Velocities
4. Find the average of the instantaneous velocities (The last column on the Data Table) here.
Write your answer on the line provided.
__________ cm/s
Part Three - Calculating the Average Velocity
5. Calculate the total time (from Start to the last slash on your tape). Remember that each slash
represents 0.1 seconds. Write your answer on the line.
__________ s
6. Calculate the average velocity for the trial. Since the equation for average velocity is va = d÷t,
divide the total distance by the total time. Write your answer on the line.
__________ cm/s
