Name

Date
Peri0d
Chapter 2: Linear Motion speed
M ......lzlng Average .

The D0111ino Effect

Purpose
To investigate the .ways in which distance, time d
interrelated by maximizing the speed of falling 'd:n .averag~ speed are Setup: <1
familiar with elementary graphing techniques. minoes. 10 become Lab Time: 1
Learning Cycle: concept
development
Required Equi~ment/S upplies Conc~ptual Level: easy
Mathematical Level: easy
approximately 50 dominoes
stopwatch
meters tick
. Thanks to Clarence Balcken for
t.is ideas and suggestions for
• this lab.

Discussion
A central property of motion is spied-the rate at which distance is cov-
ered. By rate, we mean how much or how many of something per unit of
time: how many kilometers traveled jn an hour, how many feet moved in
a second, how many raindrops hitting· a roof ln a minute, how much
interest earned on a bank account in a year. When we measure the speed
of an automobile, we measure the rate at which this easily seen physical
thing moves over the ground-for instance, how many kilometers per
hour. But when we measure the speed of sound or the speed of light, we
measure the rate at which energy moves. We cannot see·this energy. We
can, however, see and measure the speed of the energy pulse that makes '
a row of dominoes fall.
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Procedure
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. Step I: Set up 50 dominoes in a straight row, with equal spacing Set up string of don1inoes.
between them. The do1ninoes must be spaced at least the thickness of
§ one domino apart. Your goal is to maximize the speed at which a row of_
dominoes falls down. Set the dominoes in a way you think will givl! the
greatest speed.
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Step 2: Measure the total length of your row of dominoes. .

length=- -~-----

• Chapter 2 Linear Motion


(1) Student results may be
inconclusiv e-stress impor-
tance of method rather than
- getting the uanswer." •
(2) If students are using the
computer photogate system,
caution them to position the
light probes several dominoes
from either end. • length of domino == - - - - - -
. • . in distance betwee~ dominoes by
Step 3: Compute the average spa~ cllg f the first domino to the llliddl
measuring the length from the nud e Omber of domino spacings. e
of the last one, and djvide this by the nu
n dominoes == - - - - - - -
average distance betwee
Slep 4: Measure the length of a domino.
domino lengths
spacing distance == - - - - - - -
St ow of dominoes to fall down
. ep 5: Measure the time it takes for your r • •
time= _ _ _ _ __

Compute average toppling Step 6: Compute the average toppling speed for your row of dominoes.
speed.
average spee.d = - - - - - - - -
Repeat for different spacings. Step_ 7: Repeat Steps 5 and 6 for at least three ~ore spa~ings. Include a
sp_acmg that is about as smaI: as you can make 1t and still ~roduce ~op-
phng and a spacing that is about as large as you can make it and ~till .
produce toppling. Record your data (including data for the first tnal) m
. Data Table A.
Graph data. Step 8: Using a separate piece of graph paper, make a graph o~ your data
by sketching a smooth curve through your data points. Identify the point
on the curve where the speed is maximum or minimum (this need not
be exactly at one of your measured points).

'
AV'er.,.$e
TRIAL LEtJ6Ttl ~Atl~6 TIME SPEED
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Data Table A

6 Laboratory Manual (Activity 3)

 Name Date
Period

,~o

. r2.o

100 I
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80
E
V
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0
w'
w
60 r
a.
V') I
~o
I
7.0, I

0 I
o.o .10 .20 .3 0 .40 .5 0 .6 0 . 7 0 .8 0 .90 1.00
SPACING (domino \ength.s)
Fig.A

Analysi~
I. What is a definition of average speed?

2. What are the factors that affect the speed offalling dominoes?

3. Why do we use average speed for the pulse running down the domi-
noes rather than instantaneous speed?

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Chapter 2 Linear Motion

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·rn urn or mi nim um top pli ng
Some dom ino es giv e a nice 4· Fro m you r graph, wh at
is the maxi.
ma xim um speed aro und a speed?
spacing of 0.6 pom ino length
s,
but oth er dom ino es give a
min imu m at a spacing of 0.5 !,
to
0.6 dom ino lengths. This is a
real effe ct of usi ng heavy pla
s-
tic dom ino es tha t gave a ma 5. Wh at sp . b tw
. acing e een dom1·noes do yo u pre dic t wo uld give the
xi-
mum and ligh t wo ode n one
s• ma xim um or mi nim um spe ed? . h tio of thi s spa cin g t 0
that gave a min imu m; results
· Wh at 15 t era
are the refo re inc onc lus ive . the len gth of a domino? -
It is
possible tha t the fric tion
between the dom ino and the
table surface als o plJ ys a
sig -
nificant role. Fut ure exp eri-
mentation req uire d!

6· At the ma xim um or mi nim

um top pli ng spe ed of the row
no~s, how lon g a row of do1nin of do mi -
oes-would be req uir ed to ma
stnn g tha t talces one ke a
mi nu te to fall?

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