Hands-On-Physics

Introductory Mechanics
Messing Around:
SKILL BUILDING

Average Speed

• A Running Person
  Two measurements are needed, the distance travelled and the time required. You can choose a distance (independent variable) and measure the time (dependent variable), or choose a time (independent variable)and measure a distance(dependent variable).
• A Falling Object
  Drop something. Because speed gets large quickly, you may need to drop from a height to get a longer time. You can probably see that the speed is changing here. From your determination of average speed can you estimate the speed just before hitting the ground?
• A Thrown Object.
  Here you must let both distance and time vary freely and measure the outcome. Can you determine how high the object is thrown? This complicated two-dimensional motion is sometimes analyzed by considering the horizontal motion and the vertical motion separately. The horizontal speed is rather easy; the speed vertical is more difficult. What can you determine?