Motion:
Speed and Velocity
How fast are you going ? Speed and Motion
Purpose:
To be able to:
recognize that movement is observed according to a frame of reference.
describe motion and calculate speed and velocity.
interpret graphs on constant velocity, acceleration, negative acceleration (deceleration).
be able to animate motion using the velocities of different objects(Lab on internet).
Created by: Dr. William Chavez
Saddleback Valley Unified School District
Resources Needed:
You will need a computer connected to the internet as well as sheets found on this webquest. Many activities require plugins for your browser.
You will need Macromedia's - Flash and Shockwave plugins. (discontinued)
Your Task:
Have you ever wondered how fast things are going? Well, take a look at this page on motion.
Well that was nice to know. But what does that mean? In order to understand how fast you are moving you need to be able to compare it with some thing else that is not moving or is stationary. That stationary object can be called a frame of reference.
To help you better understand frame of reference, you will want to compare how fast two students are tossing cookies (View three frames and return)
Now that you have a better sense of a frame of reference, just what is motion? You might think it is moving from one place to another, and you are almost right. But, in science, we have a name for the study of motion. It is called Kinematics.There are some new words that you need to know.
Use puzzlemaker to make a crossword puzzle for the following words : scalar, vector, distance, displacement, speed, velocity, acceleration, kinematics, frame of reference. Get the definitions for the words as you view the lesson 1 on Kinematics (lesson one only)
After you have mastered lesson 1, you should have a good idea of the vocabulary and should be able to answer this Question (1)
That one was easy. Try this Question (2)Try this Question (3) for extra credit.
If you are still unsure of the difference between speed and velocity, try this website on speed and velocity
Now try the word problems on speed and velocity from the work pagethat you can print out.
Now that you have a knowledge of how to do word problems, let's figure out how to recognize a graph representation of constant speed, velocity and acceleration.
6. Can you guess which line is constant velocity, and which one is accelerating faster?
7. To see if you are correct, go to lesson on graphing velocity and acceleration. Place the following different velocities at 0,5,10,and15.seconds in the tutorial and notice the lines that are similar to the graph above.
10m/s,10m/s,10m/s,10m/s
0m/s,5,m/s,10,m/s,15m/s
15m/s,10m/s,0m/s 0m/s
10m/s,5m/s,0m/s-5m/s
0m/s,1m/s5m/s,10m/s
2m/s,5m/s,-5m/s, -8m/s
8. Draw the five graphs on graph paper and label whether the graph is showing constant velocity, acceleration, or deceleration.
9. For lab credit, do the lab on animating motion. Do activity 3, but you may have to look at the beginning of the lab to understand how to do activity 3.
Now that you have mastered the understanding of speed, maybe you would like to try your hand at some of these simulations.
Reaction time while driving- but don't crash
Frame of reference
Velocity composition
*** For all your work, enjoy this fast action game Skyracer *** - requires Macromedia plug-in (no longer available)
How about testing your reaction time while trying to hit a baseball?
Assessment:
Please complete and hand in work together for credit.
Crossword puzzle showing definitions of words
Questions 1, 2,and 3 (for extra credit)
Six graphs from the tutorial with label for constant velocity, acceleration, and deceleration
Work sheet with 5 problems( show work)
Lab write-up for Lab on Animating Motion (activity 3)
A Few Internet Resources:
Sheppard's Science Resources
Sheppard's Useful Links
Email: chavezw@svusd.k12.ca.us
Created August 16, 2002
Last Revised August 16, 2002
Teacher Notes
Suggested Grade Level: 8-10 physical science
Science Content Standards:
Science-Grade 8-Physical Sciences
1b Average speed is the total distance traveled divided by the total time elapsed. The speed of an object along the path traveled can vary.
Science-Grade 8-Physical Sciences
1c How to solve problems involving distance, time, and average speed.
Science-Grade 8-Physical Sciences
1d To describe the velocity of an object one must specify both direction and speed.
Science-Grade 8-Physical Sciences
1e Changes in velocity can be changes in speed, direction, or both.
Science-Grade 8-Physical Sciences
1f How to interpret graphs of position versus time and speed versus time for motion in a single direction.
Science-Grade 8-Investigation and Experimentation
9f Apply simple mathematical relationships to determine one quantity given the other two (including speed = distance/time, density = mass/volume, force = pressure x area, volume=area x height).
Science-Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12-Physical Sciences
1a How to solve problems involving constant speed and average speed.
S.C.O.R.E. Lessons Standards Search by Grade and Subject
S.C.O.R.E. Standards and Framework
California Content Standards Grades K-12
California Content Standards Grades K-12 - Science - PDF Format
Background:
Students need a basic background in graphing, and a basic understanding of motion speed and velocity
Skills:
Interpreting data, making inferences, forming hypotheses, making predictions, graphing.
Presentations -PowerPoint
Computer literacy.
Effective use of Internet resources.
Assessment:
crossword puzzle with vocabulary words,
graphs showing constant velocity, acceleration, deceleration
Worksheet with 5 word problems on speed.
lab writeup on lab animating motion
lab in class on car speed and velocity
Enrichment:
Make a presentation in Powerpoint explaining speed and velocity.
Design a lab to show the velocity of an object and graph results.