Golf Ball Roll Lab

Problem: What is the relationship between distance and speed of a rolling Golf Ball?

Materials: Golf Ball, ramp, stop watch, meter stick

Procedure: Set up the materials according to the teacher's instructions:

 

1 2 3 4 5

Ave. Time (sec)
X

Distance
Position (cm)
Y
            50.0
            65.0
            75.0
            90.0
            100.0

GRAPH 1: AVERAGE TIME IN SEC (X)  vs.  DISTANCE IN CM. (Y) of the Golf Ball

FIND THE EQUATION OF THE TREND LINE: show work for

                                General Equation =

                                                b =


                        slope = slopeeq.gif (1061 bytes)

Mathematical Equation =

CHECK THE MODEL (EQUATION):

Predict Time x for a distance of 85 cm. from graph: X = ________________

Predicted time  x for  a distance of 85 cm (y). from Equation:

 

 


Actual Time: Roll the ball 10 times from 85.0cm(y) and calculate actual time (x)

                   

Actual Average time (x)=____________

Difference Between Best Predicted time and Actual Average time:  _________ - _________ =

 

QUESTIONS: 
1. Calculate the speed of the Golf Ball for ALL of the 3 distances (50.0, 75.0, 100.0.). Show your work for each: write the equation show the numbers then write the answer with units

                  50.0 cm:

                 75.0 cm:

                 100.0:

2. Graph 2: Speed (y) vs. Distance (x)  of the Golf Ball (this will just be 3 points) Number each axis by 5's

3. Calculate the average speed of the Golf Ball through the 3 distances from question 1.
 

4. Using this website: http://www.digitaldutch.com/unitconverter/speed.htm change the average speed in question 3 from cm-sec.gif (950 bytes) to miles-hr.gif (976 bytes).

        Speed of Golf Ball in miles-hr.gif (976 bytes) =

5. Use Google Earth Directions to measure how far it is from you house to school.

        Distance from my house to school = _______________

6. How long will it take the Golf Ball to roll from your house to school if it could travel at the Speed in question #4 the whole way?

        
7. Using your speed from question # 4, calculate how far it is it from Mesa Verde Middle School to the Torrey Pines State Beach if it takes the Golf Ball 4.8 hours to roll there.

       

8.  Mr. Bird will  use Google Earth Ruler-path to check your answer.

        Google Distance = _________________