Dueling Buggies Lab

10-6-14

Block 3

Partner: Alex Kim

Dueling Buggies Lab

Given two buggies, we are determined to figure out when and where these two buggies will meet. One buggy being able to go faster, and the other able to go slower. Making this a challenge, we must analyze each buggies speeds, amount of distance we should cover in order for this experiment to be accurate, when we should record data when the buggy reaches a point, or even when the buggy reaches a certain time. All of these factors should be considered. 

Purpose: 

By doing this experiment we will discover the velocity of both the fast buggy and slow buggy. By determining both object's velocities, we can also discover where both buggies will collide within a 250cm interval. After gathering this information, it then can be applied to an actual test where given a certain position to place the buggies. The data we gather before hand will help us be able to make a prediction to the actual test. So in that case, what is the possible interception of both buggies when given a certain position to place them? ( Consider the skills of Constant Velocity and Position v. Time Graphs )

Prediction: 

With this data we gathered before hand, we were able to determine the velocity of both vehicles. WE thought the best method to figure this out is to create a graph and determine the interception of the two buggies with the information gathered before hand. Given the faster buggy at a position 250cm and the slower buggy at position 25cm. We predict that the buggies will collide at position 75cm at time 3.5 seconds. 

Apparatus ( Materials) :

- Fast Buggy (1x )

- Slow Buggy (1x )

- Meter sticks (3x )

- Phone ( To record data )

- Ruler ( To graph recorded data )

Procedure:

1. Lay down two meter sticks.
2. Place slower buggy at 0cm then record each time it reaches every 50cm with your phone' stop watch ( 50cm, 100cm, 150cm, 200cm ).
3. Place faster buggy at 200cm then record each time it reaches every 50cm with your phone's stop watch ( 150cm, 100cm, 50cm,  0cm ).
4. Graph out data collected making your X-Axis "Time (sec.)" and your Y-Axis "Position (cm.)".
5. Determine velocity and possible interception .
6. Given position 250cm for the faster buggy and a position of 25cm for the slower buggy, determine their possible interception of position and time with the data collected from steps 2-4.
7. Graph out your results.

Data Collection:

Before analysis of the velocity of both buggies.

Fast Buggy Data Table:

Slow Buggy Data Table: 

When combined these two buggies collide at position 50cm at 3.5 sec.

Actual Challenge Data:

Data Analysis:

Before hand analysis on buggies' velocities:

The Slower Buggy keeps a constant velocity an approximate velocity of 50cm/3.5sec, whereas the Faster Buggy traveled at a constant velocity an approximate -50cm/1.1sec. According to our analysis of combined data graphs.

The buggies in this drawn graph estimates that the buggies would meet at position 50cm at time 3.5 seconds.

Actual Test:

Applying the data collected before hand we were able to determine the approximate interception of both buggies. Rendering the fact that the Slower Buggy travels at a constant velocity 50cm/3.5sec., and that the Faster Buggy travels at -50cm/1.1sec.

As the graph shown our prediction was close.

(Original Prediction:We predict that the buggies will collide at position 75cm at time 3.5 seconds)

The actual statistics show that the Buggies would intercept one another at position 70cm at 3.75 seconds.

Conclusion:

The Experiment presented in this blog was to determine each buggies velocity and determine where and when they would intercept within a 200cm itnerval. Given this information we then are given a challenge to determine the interception of when and where when the buggies are placed in different positions. The Faster Buggy was placed at position 250cm and the Slow Buggy was placed at position 25cm. We then used the information we gathered from the first test to predict the actual challenge. We learned that the Slower Buggy keeps a constant velocity an approximate velocity of 50cm/3.5sec, whereas the Faster Buggy traveled at a constant velocity an approximate -50cm/1.1sec. According to our analysis of combined data graphs. Our prediction was that the buggies will collide at position 75cm at time 3.5 seconds. After applying the information and did some analyzing the statistics show that the Buggies would intercept one another at position 70cm at 3.75 seconds. We were fairly close to our prediction when conducting this experiment. I think that our method of graphing and determining each individual buggies velocity really helped with the process of figuring out when the buggies would intercept. Not only did we graph each individual buggy's velocity, we were able to combine those graphs into one, so when it came down to the actual challenge we were able to come up with a accurate approximate position and time where the buggies would intercept. Our overall conclusion is that the graphing method worked out incredulously well and really helped solve .