Hot Wheels Pre-Lab
Purpose: To describe and analyze velocity of a given object using scientific tools and methods.
Velocity = (Displacement / Time)
Question: What is the Velocity of a Hot Wheel car that is launched using Elastic Potential Energy from a rubber band?
Hypothesis: (Hint 1: If I …. Then I can measure ….) (Hint 2: What do you need to measure velocity?)
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Materials:
1 Hot Wheel Car
1 Rubber Band
1 Timer
1 Meter Stick
1 Track
Procedure:
Design a lab using the above materials on how you can measure the Velocity of a hot wheel.
Illustrate the setup you will use here:
List the steps you will take during the lab here.
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Data Collection:
Using the steps you detail above, conduct the Lab. Note that you will need to conduct the lab multiple(3+) times to
obtain accurate results where you can determine the actual max velocity for the Hot Wheel car.
Create a table that involves the entire tested and collected variables:
Trial
1
2
3
Distance
1m
1m
1m
Time
0.73 s
0.84 s
1.01 s
Data Analysis:
Using the data collected, calculate the velocity for each of the trials you conducted.
Trial 1 Velocity ______
Trial 2 Velocity ______
Trial 3 Velocity ______
Illustrate on the given graph, the speeds of your hot wheels.
Conclusion:
Record you conclusion on the space below.
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Hot Wheel Lab – Part 2
Purpose: To describe and analyze velocity of a given object using scientific tools and methods.
Velocity = (Displacement / Time)
Question: Which Hot Wheel has a greater Velocity?
Hypothesis: (Hint 1: I think….because….) (Hint 2: You are determining which hot wheel is faster and your reason why)
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Materials:
1 Hot Wheel Car
1 Rubber Band
1 Timer
1 Meter Stick
1 Track
Procedure:
Use the same lab procedure from yesterday to measure the Velocity of the second hot wheel.
Data Collection:
Using the steps you detail above, conduct the Lab. Note that you will need to conduct the lab multiple(3+) times to
obtain accurate results where you can determine the actual max velocity for the Hot Wheel car.
Trail
1
2
3
Distance (same as yesterday)
1m
1m
1m
time
.73
.67
.64
Data Analysis:
Using the data collected, calculate the velocity for each of the trials you conducted.
Trial 1 Velocity ______
Trial 2 Velocity ______
Illustrate on the given graph, the speeds of your 2 hot
wheels Velocities from part 1 and 2.
(x = time; y = displacement)
Conclusion:
Record you conclusion on the space below.
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Trial 3 Velocity ______
Post Lab Questions
1. What is the Definition of average speed?
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2. What are the factors the affect the speed of the hot wheel?
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3. Why is average speed at which the hot wheel moved needed instead of using constant speed?
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4. From your graph, what was the maximum speed a hot wheel obtained?
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5. Which Hot Wheel had the greatest velocity?
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6. Reading the graph, what can you conclude about the lines that are generated in regards to the speed of the car?
What does the slope represent?
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7. What was an observation you had when the car was sling shot down the ramp? Was the velocity constant? Was it
quicker at start or when it finished at the end of the ramp?
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8. If the distance or the track was longer, what can you predict about the average velocity? Would it be faster or slower?
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