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Experiment 2: Kinematics of Human Motion

Beatrice Del Rosario, Jemia Peal Estrada, Juan Miguel Franco, Nadine Maye Gabaton

Department of Biology
College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
Espaa, Manila Philippines

Abstract
In studying the motion of an object, the
concepts of velocity, speed, displacement
and acceleration are involved. The branch
of physics, which deals with these concepts,
is called Mechanics. It has two sub
branches- Dynamics and Kinematics. In this
experiment, four activities were done in
order to study the motion of an object in
relation to the concepts mentioned. These
activities involved constructing and
analyzing graphs and solving for the
average velocity, acceleration and reaction
time with the kinematic equations.
Introduction
Motion can be observed anywhere and at
anytime. The branch of Physics that deals
with the study of motion is called
Mechanics. It involves two sub branches:
Kinematics and Dynamics. Kinematics is the
concept that is needed to describe motion
with the use of equations, graphs, words,
diagrams and numbers while dynamics is the
effect that the forces have on the motion of
an object with respect to time and its
reference point.
The objectives of this experiment is then
to be able to draw the displacement versus
time graphs and velocity versus time graphs
for uniform motion and uniformly
accelerated motion, and determine ones
normal reaction time when he or she is
focuses and the reaction time when the he or
she is distracted.
2. Theory
In computing and graphing the motion of
an object, both the illustration of the graph
and data taken must be analyzed and
computed properly. In this experiment, a
Vernier Logger Pro and meter stick were the
instruments used in taking the data needed
for the graph and data table.
There were several equations, such as the
kinematic equations, and concepts used in
order compute for the displacement,
velocity, reaction time and acceleration.
The first thing computed for was the
displacement, which is also known as the
distance of an object from a starting point.
This vector quantity only measures the
initial distance and the final distance. It
denoted by the equation: !x= final distance
initial distance
After computing for displacement,
velocity, which is the measure of the speed
of an object, was computed for. The average
velocity can be measured by dividing the
total displacement over the total time. It is
denoted by the equation: !x/!t
After finding the velocity, the acceleration,
which is the change of velocity for every unit
of time, was computed for. The average
acceleration can be measured by dividing
total velocity over the total time. It is then
denoted by the equation: !v/!t
Lastly, in relation to the presence of air
resistance, the reaction time of a person
catching a meter stick was computed for.
The reaction time is then denoted by the
equation: t= " 2h/g, g=-9.80m/s^2
3. Methodology
Four activities were conducted in this
experiment; the first activity involved
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graphical analysis given the following
scenarios. After analyzing, the Vernier
logger pro was used to see if the analysis
made was correct.
The second activity made use of the
Vernier Logger Pro. This activity involved
matching the graphs already plotted in the
computer screen. The graphs matched were
named 01b and 01d Graph Matching.
When it appeared on the computer screen,
the students matched the graphs by using the
instrument to sense his motion as he moved
around with an object.
The third activity made use of a meter
stick. It was used to measure the distance
that was traveled by the student in a span of
10 seconds. After the student walked for 10
seconds, the distance was measured using
the instrument. Once finished, the total
displacement and average velocity were
computed for and graphed with Microsoft
excel.
The fourth activity, which was the
computation for the reaction time also made
use of a meter stick. A member of the group
was asked to hold the meter stick vertically
while another student positioned his/her
thumb and index finger in the 50 cm mark.
The meter stick was dropped and the
distance (h) where the student caught the
meter stick was recorded. Each student had
two trials: trial a when he/she was focused
and trial b was when he/she was distracted.
After which, the reaction time was
computed for, using the formula stated
above.
Instruments used:
Meter Stick: used for measuring (inches
and centimeters)

Vernier Logger Pro: used for data
collection and graphical analysis

4. Results and Discussion
Figure 1.a Graphical Analysis of Human
Motion (prediction)
Figure 1.a.1: Displacement versus time and
Constant velocity (moving away from the
starting point) versus time graph



Figure 1.a.2: Displacement versus time
graph and Constant velocity (moving
towards the starting point) versus time
graph



Figure 1.a.3: Displacement versus time
graph and Constant velocity (moving away
from the starting point along a straight
line) versus time graph with increasing
speed


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Figure 1.b Graphical Analysis of Human
Motion with the use of a Vernier Logger
Pro

Figure 1.b.1: Displacement versus time and
Constant velocity (moving away from the
starting point) versus time graph



Figure 1.b.2: Displacement versus time
graph and Constant velocity (moving
towards the starting point) versus time
graph


Figure 1.b.3: Displacement versus time
graph and Constant velocity (moving away
from the starting point along a straight
line) versus time graph with increasing
speed


Figure 2. Graph Matching
Figure 2.a: Graph 01b Graph Matching

Figure 2.b: Graph 01d Graph Matching

Figure 1 and its sub figures illustrate the
different graphical analyses of motion given
certain situations such as the displacement
vs time, constant velocity (moving away
from the starting point) vs time, constant
velocity (moving towards the starting point)
and uniform accelerated motion vs time
graph, as depicted above. Figure 1.a shows
the analyses of a student, without using the
vernier logger pro while Figure 1.b shows
the graphical analysis based on the motion
of the student recorded by the vernier logger
pro. Both illustrations resemble each other,
therefore it can be concluded that the
analysis done by the experimenters was
correct.
The displacement of an object is the initial
distance of an object subtracted from its
final distance. Figures 1.a.1 and 2 and 1.b.1
and 2 shows a graph that has a straight line.
This is because the slope (!y/!x) of the line
shows that there is constant velocity as
distance increases because the slope equates
to !x/t!t, which is the equation for the
velocity of an object. It is also seen that
when there is constant velocity the graph
also has a straight line. This is because the
speed of the object remains the same from
the initial time up to the final time. The only
difference is that 1.a.1 shows a direct
relationship with x and t while 1.a.2 shows
an indirect relationship with x and t. On the
other hand, Figures 1.a.3 and 1.b.3 differ
from the other graphs because of the curve
in its graph. This curve shows that there is
acceleration the change in the velocity of
the object as it reaches the final time.
Figure 2, graph matching, shows the
movement of the red line patterned to the
gray line. The red line is the movement that
%
was detected by the vernier logger pro.
Figure 2.a depicts a position vs time graph
while 2.b depicts a velocity vs time graph.
Figure 3.a
Time Total
Displacement
(m)
Average
Velocity
(m/s)
1 0.325 0.325
2 0.705 0.353
3 1.055 0.352
4 1.411 0.353
5 1.734 0.350
6 2.052 0.342
7 2.382 0.340
8 3.712 0.464
9 3.012 0.335
10 3.322 0.332

Figure 3.a shows the tabular data done in
activity 3. The distance was measured using
a meter stick. In computing for the average
velocity, the formula (!x/(!t) was used.
Figure 3.b illustrates the data in graphical
form. It shows that there is constant velocity
in the movement of the student. Since there
is constant velocity, the graph is then linear.
Figure 3.b

Figure 4
Student Reaction
Time
Reaction
Time while
distracted
1: Del
Rosario
0.181 0.306
2: Estrada 0.143 0.221
3: Franco 0.212 0.235
4: Gabaton 0.217 0.300

Figure 4 shows the tabular data of the
different reaction times of the students. It
can be seen that Student 3 has the fastest
reaction time in both scenarios followed by
student 2. As for student 3 and 4, their
reaction time differed in each scenario.
Student 1 had a faster reaction time
compared to Student 4 when she was
focused but had a slower reaction time when
she was distracted. The scenario then goes to
show how a student has a faster reaction
time when he or she is focused as compared
to being distracted. Reaction time also varies
from person to person and may change when
there given different scenarios.
5. Conclusion
The experiments conducted were about
uniform motion and reaction time. For
uniform motion, asides graphical analysis,
motion was measured through the
movement of the student when walking in a
straight line for 10 seconds. On the other
hand, dropping the meter stick vertically and
subtracting the distance caught from 50 cm,
measured the reaction time of the student.
With the experiments conducted, it can be
concluded that motion may vary from
person to person or object to object but still
the concept will still remain the same.
6. References
Bago,A, Balani, D, Barcinas, N, Bunda, I.
(December, 2010). Experiment 3:
Kinematics of Translation Retrieved August
9, 2014 , from
http://www.scribd.com/doc/45087331/Kine
matics-of-Translation
Kinematics. (n.d). Retrieved, August 9,
2014, from
http://www.physicsplanet.com/articles/kine
matics
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