Task 3: Ran tests and collected data. (4 hours)
Task 3 encompassed running the tests and collecting the data. Parts of this task occurred at the same time as Task 2, and needed to be completed relatively soon after Task 2 had been completed. The lab set up described in Task 2 was utilized, in order to run these tests and to collect the valid data. The ping pong balls prepared in Task 1 were also used at this time. The balls were dropped through a series of two photogates, which were one meter apart. Because reliable and consistent data was obtained by dropping each ball ten times through each photogate, it was not necessary to drop the balls fifty times as previously planned. Thus the test was run 300 times. The photogates collected data …show more content…
We also ensured that balls were drawn from a basket at random in order to prevent any bias in the data. Once all thirty balls had been dropped they were put back into the basket and the process was repeated. There were several other uncontrollable factors that needed to be taken into consideration. The first was the distance above the photogate from which the ping pong balls were dropped. We were able to eliminate the predicted .01 meter margin of error, which we estimated to be the margin of the variance in the height from which the balls were dropped. We were able to accomplish this by attaching a rod to the pole above the photogate. Every ball that was dropped was pressed up against this rod. This can be seen in Fig. (need to get a figure for this) Another uncontrollable factor was air movement. Although the room had very little air circulation, it was impossible to make the room completely stagnant. However, the impact on the overall results from this disturbance were minute. The data was collected by the LabPro Interface and was transmitted to the computer. The photogates, which were connected to a computer utilizing the Logger Pro software, collected data on the amount