Experiment 3: Kinematics of Human Motion

Laboratory Report

Patrick Santos, Melissa Suelto, Byron Leander Tan, Chelsea Leigh Tan, Kyle Gabriel Tanchuling,
Angelica Uy
Department of Chemistry
College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
Espaa, Manila Philippines

Abstract
Kinematics is the simplest branch of
classical mechanics describing the motion
of systems without regard to the forces or
energies that may be involved. The
experiment is divided into four activities,
namely graphical analysis of human motion,
graph matching, graphical analysis of
motion, and reaction time. The first activity
involves the displacement vs. time and
velocity vs. time with a graph given. The
second activity involves pattern repetition of
the graph shown on the computer. The third
activity involves motion analysis where a
member will walk for 10 seconds and the
displacement would be computed, and lastly
the fourth activity would involve the
reaction time of each member both while
focused and while using a cell phone.
I. Introduction
Motion is the action of changing
location or position. The study of motion
without regard to the forces or energies that
may be involved is called kinematics. It is
the simplest branch of mechanics. The

branch of mechanics that deals with both

motion and forces together is called
dynamics and the study of forces in the
absence of changes in motion or energy is
called statics.
The term energy refers an abstract
physical quantity that is not easily perceived
by humans. It can exist in many forms
simultaneously and only acquires meaning
through
calculation.
A
system
possesses energy if it has the ability to do
work. The energy of motion is called kinetic
energy whenever a system is affected by an
outside agent, its total energy changes. In
general, a force is anything that causes
a change. When a force causes a change in
the energy of a system, physicists say
that work has been done. The mathematical
statement that relates forces to changes in
energy is called the work-energy theorem.
When the total of all the different forms of
energy is determined, we find that it remains
constant in systems that are isolated from
their surroundings. This statement is known
as the law of conservation of energy and is
one of the really big concepts in all of
physics, not just mechanics.
1 |Group 8

In this experiment, students are

expected to
Draw the displacement versus time
graphs for uniform and uniformly
accelerated motion
Draw the velocity versus time graphs
for
uniform
and
uniformly
accelerated motion
Determine ones normal reaction
time and reaction time while using a
cell phone
Determine concepts that are needed
to describe motion.

is distance the meter

stick has fallen from the 50 cm mark to

where a member catched the meter stick
g

is acceleration due to

gravity (which is 9.8m/s2)

Displacement is the change in the

object's position. It is a vector pointing
from the object's initial position to its
final position. It is expressed in meters.
It is given by the equation:

II. Theory
Kinematics is defined as a branch of
mechanics. It purely involves without
reference to the masses and forces
involved around it. Mechanics is a part
of mechanics that enables us to describe
motion.
The following quantities are involved
with the motion of an object: time,
displacement, speed, velocity, and
acceleration.

Time is defined as the time elapsed. In

the experiment, it was obtained by using
this formula:

t= 2

h
g

where t

x=x f x i
where x

is displacement

xf

is final position

xi

is initial position

Average speed is the distance travelled

by an object divided by the time elapsed
while instantaneous speed is the speed of
an object at an instant time. Both are
scalar quantities and the SI unit for both
is m/s. It is given by the equation:
average speed =

where d
is time elapsed

d
t

is distance travelled

t is time elapsed

2 |Group 8

Average velocity is the displacement of

the object divided by the time elapsed. It
is a vector and its SI unit like the
average speed is m/s. It is given by the
equation:
v ave =

x
t

It is expressed in meters per second

2

squared (m/ s .
a=

v f v i
t

where

where x
t

is displacement
is time elapsed

v ave

is

the

average

is the acceleration

vf

is the final velocity

vi

is the initial velocity

is the change in time

velocity

Instantaneous velocity is the velocity of

an object at an instant time. It is a vector.

When the acceleration if an object is

zero, it travels at a constant speed along
a straight line.

It is given by the equation:

v ave =

v f v i
2

where

v ave

is the average velocity

vf

is the final velocity

vi

is the initial velocity

Acceleration is the change in an object's

velocity. It is evident in objects speeding
up, slowing down, or changing in its
direction of motion.

In an x-t graph, the independent variable

is time with the dependent variable is the
position. The slope is the velocity and
the y-intercept is the initial position.

In a v-t graph, the independent variable

is time with the dependent variable is the
velocity. The slope is the acceleration
and the y-intercept is the initial velocity.

In an a-t graph, the independent variable

is time with the dependent variable is the
acceleration. The y-intercept is the initial
acceleration.
3 |Group 8

III.Methodology
Activity 1: Graphical Analysis of Human
Motion
The appearance of the displacement
versus time graph and velocity versus time
graph of a person moving away with
constant velocity from a chosen starting
point for a period of 10 seconds was
sketched and predicted. The appearance of
the displacement versus time graph and
velocity versus time graph of a person
moving towards a chosen starting point with
constant velocity for a period of 10 seconds
from was sketched and predicted. The
appearance of the displacement versus time
graph and velocity versus time graph of a
person moving away from a chosen starting
point along a straight line with increasing
speed for a period of 10 seconds from was
sketched and predicted.
Activity 2: Graph Matching
The experiment file 01b Graph
Matching was opened. A position versus
time graph appeared. Movement was made
until the graph of our motion matched the
graph. The experiment file 01d Graph
Matching was opened. A position versus
time graph appeared. Movement was made
until the graph of our motion matched the
graph.
Activity 3: Graphical analysis of human
motion
One of our group mates walked in a
straight line for 10 seconds starting from
rest. The distance travelled every second
was measured. The total displacement
versus total time of our group mate was

plotted using excel. The best fit line or curve

was drawn. The instantaneous velocity at the
end of each time interval was determined.
Instantaneous velocity was plotted. The best
fit line or curve was drawn. The motion of
our group mate was analyzed.
Activity 4: Reaction time
One of our group mates was asked to
hold a meter stick vertically at the zero mark
while the thumb and index finger at the 50
cm mark was positioned. One of our group
mates was asked to drop the meter stick
without telling the other member of the
group. The reaction time was computed for
the formula where h is the distance the meter
stick has faller measured from the 50 cm
mark to where the meter stick was caught.
The reaction time of the other members of
the group was determined. The procedure
while talking to a friend using our cell phone
was repeated
IV. Results and Discussion
Activity 1
The first 2 Graphs show the
predicted appearance of the displacement
versus time graph and velocity versus time
graph of a person moving away with
constant velocity for a period of 10 seconds.
The next 2 graphs show the predicted
appearance of the displacement versus time
and velocity versus time of a person moving
toward a chosen starting with constant
velocity for a period of 10 seconds
The last 2 graphs show the predicted
appearance of the displacement versus time
and velocity versus time graphs of a person
moving away from a chosen starting point

4 |Group 8

along a straight line, with increasing speed

for a period of 10 seconds.
1.

3.

2.

Activity 3
The table shows the total distance,
average velocity, and instantaneous velocity
of person walking for 10 seconds in a
straight line from rest
Time
1
2
3
4
5

Total Displacement
0.62 m
0.78 m
1.68 m
2.15 m
2.47 m
5 |Group 8

Average Veloc
0.62 m/s
0.39 m/s
0.56 m/s
0.53 m/s
0.49 m/s

a graph to show constant acceleration, it has

0.49 m/s
0.47 m/s
been observed that when total displacement
0.47 m/s
increases, the average velocity also
0.45 m/s
increases.hen the velocity is constant, the
0.45 m/s
acceleration is also constant Lastly the
reaction time varies from person to person
Activity 4
and distraction can affect the reaction time
of a person.
The table shows the reaction time of
each group member while focused and
VI. Application
without focus. After dropping the meter
stick and recording the distance caught, the
1. Devise a way to determine the height
formula to compute for the reaction time is:
of a building using only a stopwatch.
- One way to determine the height of a
h
building is by dropping an object
2
t =
g , where h is the distance the
from the top of the building. Both the
time (t), which is monitored by a
meter stick has fallen measured from the
stopwatch, and the physics formula
50cm mark to where you catch the meter
6
7
8
9
10

2.94 m
3.32 m
3.76 m
4.08 m
4.54 m

stick.
Student

Tan, Chelsea
Tanchuling
Tan, Byron
Uy
Santos
Suelto

Reaction
Time (s)

0.23
0.20
0.18
0.24
0.12
0.18

Reaction
Time (s)
While
Calling
0.26
0.26
0.18
0.27
0.18
0.21

V. Conclusion
After a quick overview of the
evolution of this field, at which diverse
contexts in which motion analysis has
become incredibly important, according to
the results gathered, the person moves in
constant velocity, a linear graph is created in
the positions versus the time graph. The
distance between the starting point and the
location of the person increases and it shows
an upward slope. A straight line is plotted in

1 2
H= a t
, where a is the constant
2
gravitational acceleration equal to
9.8 m/s2, are used. Using this
formula would result to H, which is
the distance travelled by the freefalling object and thus, this can be
used to find the height of the
building in meters.
2. From the point of view of physics, is
there a basis to the law banning the
use of cell phone while driving?
- Similar to activity 4, students
exhibited a faster reaction time when
in concentration than when talking to
a friend. This can be directly
compared to driving. Use of cell
phones can greatly reduce the
drivers concentration and could
slow down the reaction time. Thus
leading to accidents.
3. Draw your displacement versus time
graph and velocity versus time graph
6 |Group 8

from your home on your way to UST

and back.

Velocity vs. time from home to UST

25
20

Displacement vs. time from home to UST

displacement (km)

15

velocity (km/hr) 10

0
0

10 15 20 25

time (min)

0
0

5 10 15 20 25

time (min)

Figure 3: Velocity vs. time graph from home to UST

Figure 1: Displacement vs. time graph from home to UST

Velocity vs. time from UST to home

Displacement vs. time from UST to home

-5

-1

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

velocity (km/hr)

displacement (km) -2

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

-10
-15
-20

-3

-25

-4

time (min)
time (min)
Figure 4: Velocity vs. time graph from UST to home

Figure 2: Displacement vs. time graph from UST to home

References
[1] The Physics Hypertextbook. Motion.
(2016, September 13). Retrieved
from http://physics.info/motion/
[2] Young, H. D., & Freedman, R. A. (2016).
University Physics with Modern
Physics, 14th ed. United States of
America: Pearson Education, Inc.

7 |Group 8

8 |Group 8