Notes

In this lab, we timed the movement of a buggy in two separate scenarios to prove that it moves at a constant speed. For each scenario, a data table was used to record distance and time. We compared the graphs of the two scenarios and made observations about their relationship. In the first scenario, the buggy started at 0 cm and moved in the positive direction. The graph of this data was approximately direct and linear. Since the slope was approximately constant throughout the graph and the slope represented speed in centimeters for every second, it proved that the buggy moved in a constant speed in this scenario. In the second scenario, the buggy also started at 0 cm, but it moved in the negative direction. The graph of this data was approximately inversely linear. In comparison to the first graph, both had the same y-int of 0, but the first graph showed an increase in position over time, while the second graph showed a decrease in position over time. Although the second graph has a negative slope rather than a positive slope, it has a constant slope. Similarly to the first graph, the second graph's constant slope proves that the buggy moved in a constant speed.
The battery used in the buggies may have been a source of error in our lab. Depending on how strong the battery was, the buggy moved at different speeds. Therefore, the time it took for the buggy to travel each distance was affected by the battery power. If I repeated this lab, I would make sure the battery was completely charged in the first and second scenarios to maintain accuracy. Additionally, the angle of the buggy's movement affected the results of the lab. The buggy would sometimes make contact with the edge of the meterstick because we set up the buggy angled slightly toward the meterstick. This could change the actual distance traveled by the buggy because it traveled at a slight diagonal, rather than a direct path parallel to the meterstick. If I were to repeat the lab, I would use a protractor to ensure the buggy was parallel to the meterstick before turning it on.