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Name: ______________________________________ Date: ________________________
Student Exploration: Distance-Time Graphs
Procedure:
- Launch Internet Explorer
- Go to www.explorelearning.com
- Click on Login.
- Enter the Username: orange1011 Password: black
- Search for Distance-Time Graphs
- Click on the 4th^ Gizmo on the list called Distance-Time Graphs.
- Be patient for it to load.
Vocabulary: speed, y - intercept
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
Max ran 50 meters in 10 seconds. Molly ran 30 meters in 5 seconds.
- Who ran farther, Max or Molly? ________________
- Who ran faster? ________________ Explain: ____________________________________
Gizmo Warm-up The Distance-Time Graphs GizmoTM^ shows a graph and a runner on a track. You can control the motion of the runner by manipulating the graph (drag the red dots).
Check that Number of points is 2, and that under Runner 1 both Show graph and Show animation are turned on.
The graph should look like the one shown to the right – one point at (0, 0) and the other point at (4, 40).
- Click the green Start button on the stopwatch.
What happens? _______________________________
- Click the red Reset button on the stopwatch. The vertical green probe on the graph allows you to see a snapshot of the runner at any point in time. Drag it back and forth. As you do, watch the runner and the stopwatch.
A. What was the position of the runner at 1 second? ____________________________
B. What are the coordinates of the point on the graph that tells you this? ____________
C. When was the runner on the 30-meter line? ________________________________
D. What are the coordinates of the point on the graph that tells you this? ____________
Activity A: Runner position
Get the Gizmo ready: Click the red Reset button on the stopwatch. Be sure the Number of Points is 2.
In the Gizmo, run the “race” many times with a variety of different graphs. (The red points on the graph can be dragged vertically.) Pay attention to what the graph tells you about the runner.
- If a distance-time graph contains the point (4, 15), what does that tell you about the runner?
(Be specific, and answer in a complete sentence.) _________________________________
- Look at the graph to the right. Notice where the green probe is. If you could see the runner and the stopwatch at this moment, what would you see?
- Look at the image below, from the Gizmo. What must be true about this runner’s graph?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
- Change the Number of Points to 5. Create a graph of a runner that runs left-to-right for one second, rests for two seconds, and then continues running in the same direction. Sketch the graph to the right.
How does a graph show a runner at rest? ________________
- In general, how does a distance-time graph show you which direction the runner is moving?
- With Number of Points set to 3, create the graph shown at right. Your graph should include (0, 0), (2, 10), and (4, 40).
A. Where does the runner start? ____________________
B. Where will he be after 2 seconds? ________________
C. Where will he be after 4 seconds? ________________
D. In which time interval do you think the runner will be moving most quickly? (Circle your answer below.)
0 to 2 seconds 2 to 4 seconds
- Click the Start button and watch the animation. What about the runner changed after 2
seconds of running? ________________________________________________________
- Speed is a measure of how fast something is moving. To calculate speed, divide the distance by the time. In the Gizmo, the units of speed are meters per second (m/s).
A. In the first 2 seconds, how far did the runner go? ____________________________
B. In this time interval, how far did the runner go each second? ___________________
C. In this time interval, what was the runner’s speed? ___________________________
- Now look at the last two seconds represented on the graph.
A. In the last 2 seconds, how far did the runner go? ____________________________
B. In this time interval, how far did the runner go each second? ___________________
C. In this time interval, what was the runner’s speed? ___________________________
- Click the Reset button. Experiment with a variety of graphs, focusing on the speed of the runner. In general, how can you estimate the speed of the runner by looking at a graph?
