A Running Race Activity and a bicycle on a slope

Investigating the motion of a runner in a race and analysing whether the motion of a runner is uniform or non-uniform.

So how do you prove if a motion is Uniform or non-Uniform?

Before we learn a method to inestigate motion, let us try to answer the following questions:
 

1. Suppose you had to run a 50-meter race. Could you estimate whether you will run from start to finish at the same speed or whether your speed will vary?

2. If you are riding a bicycle down the slope, without pedalling, will its speed increases as it rolls downhill? Will the speed keep on increasing?

Activity 1 - Race

You need to organize a running race event. The entire class will participate in it in groups of six members each.

Following are the details of the activity to be conducted.

Material required to perform the activity:

1. Measuring tape or meter scale to measure the track

2. Four stopwatches per group to record the time

3. Paper and pen to note down the data

Process to do the activity:

1. Find a track at least 40 meter long and divide it into four equal segments. For example, a 40 meter track could be marked at the intervals of 10, 20, 30 and 40 meters.

2. Place one of the group members as a timekeeper with a stopwatch at each segment to record the time.

3. Set a starting point and ask one of the group members to run till the end point.

4. Note down the data for the run.

With a loud "Start" the person starts the race. All timekeepers keep their stopwatches at zero. Once the runner passes the first segment, the first timekeeper standing there stops his stopwatch. The same process is observed for each segment till the runner crosses the end segment point.

Do not forget to make the table like the one given below to record run time for each runner. also every runner has to run for atleast threet times. we will analyze this data in the following part of the chapter.