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Moving Man Phet Lab Activity

This document summarizes a physics lab simulation where students investigate the motion of a "moving man" character. Students are asked to predict and sketch position, velocity, and acceleration graphs for different motion scenarios and then use the simulation to verify their predictions. They find that some of their initial predictions were incorrect because they were confused about positive and negative values. Through this exercise, their understanding of the relationships between position, velocity, and acceleration graphs improved.

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10K views

Moving Man Phet Lab Activity

This document summarizes a physics lab simulation where students investigate the motion of a "moving man" character. Students are asked to predict and sketch position, velocity, and acceleration graphs for different motion scenarios and then use the simulation to verify their predictions. They find that some of their initial predictions were incorrect because they were confused about positive and negative values. Through this exercise, their understanding of the relationships between position, velocity, and acceleration graphs improved.

Uploaded by

uflilla
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Physics Lab Moving Man Simulation

Answer the following in your lab book. !lick here to run the simulation or ty"e in this address: htt":##"het$colorado$edu#sims#moving%man#moving%man&en$'nl"

Name:Tom Jessessky and Alec Szaleski Period:2

($ )nvestigate Moving Man by having the man move using the sliders$ *se the "layback +eatures to look at the gra"hs$ ,hile you make observations talk about the reasons the gra"hs look the -ay they do$ 2$ Make a chart like the one belo- on your o-n "a"er$ ,ithout using Moving Man. sketch -hat you think the gra"hs -ould look like +or the +ollo-ing scenario and e/"lain your reasoning$ Scenario: The man starts at the tree and moves to-ard the house -ith constant velocity Position % time gra"h 0/"lain your reasoning +or the gra"h1s a""earance red te/t At a constant velocity the "osition o+ the man -ill start at negative and consistently become more "ositive 2elocity % time gra"h 0/"lain your reasoning +or the gra"h1s a""earance The velocity o+ the man stayed constant and he -as moving in a "ositive direction

Acceleration % time gra"h

0/"lain your reasoning +or the gra"h1s a""earance 3e does not accelerate because his velocity remains constant

4$ No-. use the Moving man simulation to veri+y or correct your "redicted gra"hs and reasoning -ith a di++erent color "en$ 5$ Make ne- charts +or each o+ the +ollo-ing scenarios$ Predict -hat you think the gra"hs -ill look like. and then use Moving man to veri+y or correct your "redicted gra"hs and reasoning -ith a di++erent color "en$ a$ The man starts three meters +rom the house and accelerates to-ards the tree$

2#26#26(5 Loeblein about (66 minutes

Physics Lab Moving Man Simulation

Name:Tom Jessessky and Alec Szaleski Period:2


7easoning: ecause he is accelerating the "osition change is slo- at +irst but as he accelerates the "osition change is +aster and the line curves because o+ the changing slo"e o+ the line$

Though his s"eed is increasing. the direction is negative -hich makes his velocity negative causing the do-n-ard slo"e o+ the line$

ecause his velocity is negative his acceleration is also negative and he accelerates at a constant rate -hich makes the line +lat

b$ The man stands still -hile he talks on his cell "hone at the middle o+ the side-alk. then -alks to-ard the house at a constant rate trying to get better cell rece"tion$ 3e comes to a sudden sto" -hen the coverage is good 8about a meter be+ore the house9 and stands still to +inish his conversation$ Scenario: Position % time gra"h 0/"lain your reasoning +or the gra"h1s a""earance red te/t At a sto" his "osition stays the same then his "osition increases constantly then his "osition stays the same -hen he sto"s again 2elocity % time gra"h 0/"lain your reasoning +or the gra"h1s a""earance 3is velocity is zero -hile he is standing then his velocity is a constant "ositive value -hile he moves then goes back to zero

2#26#26(5 Loeblein about (66 minutes

Physics Lab Moving Man Simulation


Acceleration % time gra"h

Name:Tom Jessessky and Alec Szaleski Period:2


0/"lain your reasoning +or the gra"h1s a""earance The man is not accelerating -hile standing still but accelerates +or a moment -hile be+ore he starts moving +or-ard then goes back to zero acceleration then -hen he sto"s he negatively accelerates and goes back to zero$

c$$ The man starts close to the house. stands still +or a little -hile. then -alks to-ard the tree at a constant rate +or a -hile. then the slo-s to a sto"$

Position % time gra"h

0/"lain your reasoning +or the gra"h1s a""earance red te/t At a sto" his "osition is the value o+ -here he is standing then his "osition becomes more negative as he moves to-ard the tree and as he slo-s his "osition curves then his "osition remains constant at the sto"$ 0/"lain your reasoning +or the gra"h1s a""earance The velocity is zero as he is standing still then is constantly negative as he moves to-ard the tree then curves as he slo-s do-n and comes to a sto"

2elocity % time gra"h

Acceleration % time gra"h

0/"lain your reasoning +or the gra"h1s a""earance

The acceleration is negative a+ter the man begins -alking -ith a negative velocity$ )t increases to a constant value as he slo-s do-n then goes back do-n to zero -hen he sto"s$
:$ Look at your gra"hs. reasonings and the corrections +rom ;uestions 2 and 4$ Talk about -hy some o+ your "redictions -ere -rong and ho- your ideas about motion have changed$ Some o+ our "redictions -ere -rong because -e got con+used about -hich values -ould be negative and "ositive because o+ the "osition values o+ the simulation$ <ur ideas about motion have changed because -e have started to understand the di++erent looks o+ each o+ the "osition. velocity. and acceleration gra"hs and their relationshi"s$

2#26#26(5 Loeblein about (66 minutes

Physics Lab Moving Man Simulation

Name:Tom Jessessky and Alec Szaleski Period:2

=$ Sketch the "osition. velocity and acceleration gra"hs +or the +ollo-ing scenario: A man -akes u" +rom his na" under the tree and s"eeds u" to-ard the house$ 3e sto"s because he is -orried that he dro""ed his keys$ 3e stands still as he searches his "ockets +or his keys$ <nce he +inds them. he continues calmly to -alk to-ard the house and then slo-s to a sto" as he nears the door$ Position 2elocity

Acceleration

>$ ,ith your lab "artners. -rite a motion scenario that you could test$ Test it. and then -rite a descri"tion o+ ho- you used the "rogram to generate the gra"hs$ Sketch the gra"hs$ A man is con+used about directions to the house but is too a+raid to ask +or hel"$ 3e -alks to-ard the tree at a steady rate then turns around and accelerates all the -ay to the house and sto"s$ 3o- to use the "rogram: 3ave the man at "osition 6 and set velocity to %2m#s$ Let him get to the tree then set the velocity to 2m#s and the acceleration to (m#s#s$ 3ave him reach the house then set the velocity and acceleration to 6 and have him sto" at house$ Position: 2elocity

2#26#26(5 Loeblein about (66 minutes

Physics Lab Moving Man Simulation


Acceleration

Name:Tom Jessessky and Alec Szaleski Period:2

?$ )ndividually -rite a "ossible scenario +or the +ollo-ing gra"h$ Then com"are your scenario -ith your lab "artners to check i+ its reasonable$

time The man starts at the -all and moves to-ard the house -hile slightly accelerating then slo-s do-n and sto"s +or a +e- seconds. turns around accelerates back to-ard the -all and begins to slo- do-n again$

2#26#26(5 Loeblein about (66 minutes

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