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Experiment
Racing
Down Ramps
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Problem: Do lighter or heavier
cars (or balls) go farther when rolled down the same ramp?
Research: Look up information
about ramps and momentum.
Hypothesis: Predict whether
the lighter or heavier car will roll farther.
I think that the ___________________ car
will roll farther.
Setting Up the Experiment:
Materials:
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three Hot Wheels or Matchbox toy cars (or
three balls that are different weights, example: one steel ball berring,
one rubber ball, one ping pong ball)
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2 books or a book and a board
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metal washers or hex nuts
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metric measuring tape or meter stick
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chart to record your results
Procedure:
Manipulated Variable: Weight of
the cars or the balls (This is the only thing you can change.)
Responding Variable: The distance
in centimeters that the cars roll. (these are the results that you
will measure and record.)
Steps:
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Prepare the toy cars:
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Do not put anything on the first car.
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Tape 2 or 3 hex nuts or washers on the second
car
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Tape 4 - 6 hex nuts or washers on the third
car (This is the heaviest car.)
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Create a ramp by leaning one book or board
on the edge of another book.
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Place the meter stick or measuring tape at
the edge of the ramp where the car will exit and begin rolling on the floor
or table top.
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Place the first car at the top of the ramp
and let it go. Do not push the car- just let go and let it roll
by itself. Measure the distance the car rolled in centimeters after leaving
the ramp.
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Do three trials for each car and record the
distance in cm each time.
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Figure out the "eyeball average" for each
car. This means that you look at each of the three trials and pick the
number that is in the middle- not the highest, not the lowest. For example,
if the distances are 80 cm., 72 cm, and 85 cm., the "eyeball average" would
be 80 cm.
Results:
Make a chart like this to record your
results. Then you can graph the averages on a bar graph.
| |
Distance Rolled in
cm
|
|
Trial
|
Light Car
|
Middle-Weight Car
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Heaviest Car
|
|
1
|
cm
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cm
|
cm
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|
2
|
cm
|
cm
|
cm
|
|
3
|
cm
|
cm
|
cm
|
| "Eyeball Average" |
cm
|
cm
|
cm
|
Conclusion:
Look over your results. What did you find
out? Which car (or ball) rolled the farthest? Does the weight of the car
make a difference? Write your conclusion and answer the problem. Tell if
your hypothesis was correct or incorrect.