Measuring Speed Flashcards

All 4 cards in this deck

Which two measurements are needed to find the speed of a sled using a single light gate?

The length of the sled and the time for the sled to pass through the light gate.

What are the steps to measure the speed of a trolley using a light gate?

e.g. a card 0.05 m long fixed to the trolley

1. Measure the length of the card: 0.05 m
2. Let the card pass through the light gate; the data logger records the time: 0.10 s
3. Speed = length ÷ time = $0.05 \div 0.10 = 0.5$ m/s

What are the steps to measure the average speed of a person walking?

e.g. walking along a corridor

1. Measure the distance with a tape measure or trundle wheel: 20 m
2. Time the walk with a stopwatch: 16 s
3. Speed = distance ÷ time = $20 \div 16 = 1.25$ m/s

Why does a light gate and data logger give a more accurate speed than a stopwatch?

There is no human reaction time in starting and stopping the timing.