Unit 1 - Buggy Lab - Tyler Frojmovich, Adithya Kalyan, and Aditya Tipre
Research Question and Variables: We are trying to answer the questions: how does time affect the position of the buggy? For this procedure, the independent variable is the amount of time the buggy travels for, and the dependent variable is the position of the buggy at a trial's end. The controls of this experiment could be the buggy itself, the floor, and the surrounding environment in which the procedure is conducted.
Controlling the Variables: We used the same buggy for every trial to ensure that variable is controlled. Also, we performed every trial on the same surface in the same general area to ensure that environment does not affect our results at all.
Method for Data Collection: We would start the buggy and a stopwatch at the same time. Then, we would allow the buggy to run for a certain increment of time before we stopped it and recorded its position. In order for the data to be as precise as possible, we would run several trials per increment and run it for a wide range of increment values (small and large increments of time).
The Procedure:
- We lined up several meter sticks in a straight line, timed the buggy for approximately one second from a fixed initial point, and stopped it as soon as we could. Then, we used the meter stick to measure how far the buggy has moved from the initial point. The point where the buggy moves to is its position.
- We repeated this for intervals of 5, 10, and 15 seconds.
- For each increment of time, we tested the buggy three times in order to make the data as accurate as possible.
- Then, Mr. Frost told us to move our origin point back behind the 0m mark, so we added another meter stick behind the 0 meter mark started at a -1.32m. We measured how far the buggy moved in 1, 5, 10, and 15 second intervals. However, we had to add this distance to -1.32 meters, as the distance and position are not equal in this changed scenario.
- Note: We could not do three trials for the 10 and 15 second intervals, as we were running out of time.
Diagram of Procedure:
Research Question and Variables: We are trying to answer the questions: how does time affect the position of the buggy? For this procedure, the independent variable is the amount of time the buggy travels for, and the dependent variable is the position of the buggy at a trial's end. The controls of this experiment could be the buggy itself, the floor, and the surrounding environment in which the procedure is conducted.
Controlling the Variables: We used the same buggy for every trial to ensure that variable is controlled. Also, we performed every trial on the same surface in the same general area to ensure that environment does not affect our results at all.
Method for Data Collection: We would start the buggy and a stopwatch at the same time. Then, we would allow the buggy to run for a certain increment of time before we stopped it and recorded its position. In order for the data to be as precise as possible, we would run several trials per increment and run it for a wide range of increment values (small and large increments of time).
The Procedure:
- We lined up several meter sticks in a straight line, timed the buggy for approximately one second from a fixed initial point, and stopped it as soon as we could. Then, we used the meter stick to measure how far the buggy has moved from the initial point. The point where the buggy moves to is its position.
- We repeated this for intervals of 5, 10, and 15 seconds.
- For each increment of time, we tested the buggy three times in order to make the data as accurate as possible.
- Then, Mr. Frost told us to move our origin point back behind the 0m mark, so we added another meter stick behind the 0 meter mark started at a -1.32m. We measured how far the buggy moved in 1, 5, 10, and 15 second intervals. However, we had to add this distance to -1.32 meters, as the distance and position are not equal in this changed scenario.
- Note: We could not do three trials for the 10 and 15 second intervals, as we were running out of time.
Diagram of Procedure: