Understanding Graphs of Motion

•   Place the cart on the track, putting its wheels in the slots.  If the cart moves, level the track by adjusting the height of its legs; the feet should be positioned at 60 and 160 cm so that the track does not deform under its own weight.  The computer should be connected to an interface box, which in turn should be connected to a motion sensor.  Place the motion sensor on the left end of the track.  The face of the motion sensor's detector should be vertical.

•   Open Template 0.  The position of the cart will be plotted on the y-axis, time on the x-axis.  The positive direction is away from the motion sensor.  If the motion sensor is on the left end of the track, the positive direction is to your right.
 
•   When ready to move the cart to follow the motion shown on the template, start the motion detector by clicking the green Collect Button up on the Logger Pro tool bar (or, alternatively, just press the space bar).  Repeat as necessary until each partner can roughly match the template pattern.
 
•   To repeat a run with the same template once the collection has been stopped, just click the green Collect Button (or press the space bar) again – that action erases the previous run and begins another.  In fact, you can end a failed run anytime you want by clicking the Collect Button, which is red when the system is collecting.

•   Open the worksheet by clicking on the link below.  Save it in your server space under a different name.  Copy and paste a good experimental match to Template 0, following the directions in Question 1 of the worksheet.