AP Physics Lab                                                                                                         Brockport High School NY USA
Personal Acceleration and Maximum Speed                                                       Mr Keefer

Equipment:  spark timer, timer tape, C-clamp, masking tape

Objective:  Determine your personal acceleration and top speed by threading the timer tape (2-3 meters) through the timer, then taping it to a belt or belt loop of your trousers.  Have your partner turn on the timer, at which time you then accelerate to top speed.  Analyze the tape as described in class.  Plot a graph of distance (x)  vs time (t) using Microsoft Excel⁸ (see separate instructions).
1.  Calculate your rate of acceleration using kinematic equations.
2.  Determine your top speed from your graph.
3.  Determine your instantaneous speed at 0.5 seconds using the tangent slope method.

Back to the Brockport High School Science Department