Activity 2.9.7.
Work in Groups.
In this activity you are required to follow each step as listed.
Requirements:
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Toy car (that can be pulled by a string).
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String (long enough for the car to travel a sufficient distance).
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Stopwatch or timer
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Measuring tape or marked distance on the ground (e.g., 10 meters)
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Pen and paper (for recording results)
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Observers (to track the race and help evaluate results)
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Calculator (optional, for calculations)
Steps:
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Find a straight line or pathway that is clear and suitable for the race ( a hallway, classroom floor, long corridor or outside on a field).
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Measure out a distance for the race, such as 10 meters. You can use a measuring tape or use a marked area to set the starting and finishing points.
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Mark the starting line and the finish line clearly, so both the toy car and the student know where to start and end.
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Attach one end of the string securely to the toy car. The other end of the string should be held by a participant or fixed to an anchor (like a pole or sturdy object) so that when the student pulls the string, the car moves along the line and test the toy car to ensure that it moves easily along the straight path when the string is pulled.
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You will have two participants: one student (who will walk) and one toy car (which will be pulled by the string).
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Assign at least one observer to track the race. The observer(s) will help measure the time it takes for each participant (the student and the toy car) to reach the finish line.
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Place the student and the toy at the starting line. The student should be ready to walk at a constant speed.
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On the count of "Go!", the student starts walking in a straight line towards the finish line. At the same time, the person holding the string should start pulling the toy car in the same direction (straight line) at a constant speed. The toy car should be pulled in a way that resembles a consistent movement, not too fast or too slow.
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The observers should start the stopwatch as soon as both participants begin moving and stop it when either the student or the toy car reaches the finish line.
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Record the time taken by both the student and the toy car to reach the finish line. If you have more than one observer, make sure they agree on the recorded times.
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After the race, you need to calculate the relative speed between the student and the toy car.
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Let’s say the student took \(T1\) seconds to cover the distance (\(10\) meters), and the toy took \(T2\) seconds to cover same distance
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The speed of the student is:\begin{align*} \frac{Distance}{Time} \amp = \frac{10}{T1 \, seconds} \end{align*}The speed of the toy car is:\begin{align*} \frac{Distance}{Time} \amp = \frac{10}{T2 \, seconds} \end{align*}
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If the student and the toy car are moving in the same direction, the relative speed can be given as:\begin{align*} Relative \, speed \amp = Speed \, of \, Toy \, Car - Speed \, of \, Student \end{align*}
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Compare and share your fndings with other groups of both the student and the toy car.
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Discuss;
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Who moved faster? Was the student walking faster or slower than the toy car?
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Why one object might have moved faster than the other. Did the toy car move faster because it was pulled, or was the student faster in their walking?
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The relative speed: How does the speed of each participant relate to the other? Did they move away from each other, or did they move closer together?
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Now try the activity in different conditions or compare vraious speed by repeating the race multiple times.
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Have the student walk faster or slower.
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Change the length of the race to see how it affects the results.
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Adjust how fast the toy car is pulled.
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