Experiment 2: Kinematics of Human Motion

Laboratory Report
Praiseus Acao, Aime Rose Alberto, Aldrin Agawin, Samuelle John Aquino
Department of Math and Physics
College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
Espaa, Manila, Philippines
Abstract
Kinematics is a branch of classical
mechanics describing the motion of bodies
and systems without considering the mass of
an object and the force behind an event.
There are four activities in this experiment,
first is graphical analysis of human motion
and it involves displacement vs. time and
velocity vs. time with a graph given. Second
graph matching where experimenters will
copy the pattern given by the file in the
computer. Third, graphical analysis of
motion where in a span of 10 seconds the
total displacement is 2.49 m, average
velocity is 2.49 m/s and the instantaneous
velocity is 4.98 m/s2. Last would be the
reaction time, members of the group
measured their normal reaction time from
0.0186-0.243

motion and uniformly accelerated motion,

and to determine ones normal reaction time
and his reaction time while being distracted.
2. Theory
Kinematics is a branch of mechanics
which deals with the idea necessary to
define an event or motion regardless of the
cause. The moving object is the center of the
experiment noting the details of the action
using velocity and acceleration. There are
formulas relevant and essential in the
experiment of kinematics of human motion:
= 2
t = time h = distance in meter stick
g = 9.8m/s2

1. Introduction

Average velocity =

Life is in constant motion. Mastery

of motion has been critical to our survival
and success as a species. Kinematics is a
topic under Dynamics that describes motion
without regard to its causes. In this
experiment, kinematics focuses in one
dimension: a motion along a straight line.
This kind of motion, actually any kind of
motion, involves velocity, displacement, and
acceleration with regards to time. The
objectives of the experiment are to draw the
displacement versus time graphs and
velocity versus time graphs for uniform

Instantaneous velocity = lim0

Where
x = change in distance
t = change in time
3. Methodology
The instrument that was used to
determine the graphs for uniform motion

Experiment 2: Errors, Uncertainties, and Measurements

Laboratory Report
Praiseus Acao, Aime Rose Alberto, Aldrin Agawin, Samuelle John Aquino
Department of Math and Physics
College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
Espaa, Manila Philippines
and the uniform accelerated motion in the first
activity (Graphical Analysis of Human motion.)
The outcomes were predicted through sketching
the displacement versus time graph and velocity
versus time graph in different conditions. With
the use of the Logger Pro (Figure.1) a graph of
motions was produced with variable conditions.

The fourth activity, was a test the

reaction time of each of the members, each
were supposed to catch a meter stick (Figure.2)
suspended by another person with their thumb
and index finger starting at the 50 cm mark,
while the other person drops the meter stick
without warning. The same procedure was
performed but this time, while being distracted,
by talking to the other person.
4. Results and discussion

Figure.1 The logger pro sensor used in the first and

second activity

On the second activity titled Graph

matching we were presented with two graphs in
the computer screen we were to mimic the
graphs by accomplishing certain kinds of
motions. The devise used to sense the different
motions was also the Logger Pro.
The third activity, Graphical analysis of
motion, required one of our group mates to
walk in a straight line for 10 seconds starting
form rest. The distance travelled every second
was measured and used in computing the
instantaneous velocity and average velocity.
The results were then plotted.

Figure.2 A meter stick that was used to measure the

reaction time in the fourth activity

For activity 1, graphical analysis of

human motion, the experimenters were first
asked to predict and sketch (Figure.3), and
produce, using the Vernier Logger Pro program,
(Figure.4) the appearance of the displacement
vs. time and the velocity vs. time graph for a
person moving away with constant velocity
from a chosen starting point for a period of 10
seconds.

Experiment 2: Errors, Uncertainties, and Measurements

Laboratory Report
Praiseus Acao, Aime Rose Alberto, Aldrin Agawin, Samuelle John Aquino
Department of Math and Physics
College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
Espaa, Manila Philippines

Figure.3: Predicted Displacement vs. Time (top) and

Velocity vs. Time (bottom) graphs of a person moving
away from the origin with constant velocity

Figure.4: Produced Displacement vs. Time (top) and

Velocity vs. Time (bottom) graphs of a person
moving away from the origin with constant velocity.

From the displacement vs. time graph, it

can be observed that the line is moving
positively since what was asked for was a
person
moving
away. Naturally,
the
displacement of the person will increase as he
steps away from the origin as time goes by.
From the velocity vs. time graph, it can also be
seen that it is in a straight line with the same x
values since what was asked for was a constant
velocity. This was done by walking in a
constant speed as time goes by. It would be in a
position higher than zero (positive) since the

person is moving away (positively) from the

origin.
Second was for a person moving toward
a chosen starting point with constant velocity
for a period of 10 seconds.

Figure.5: Predicted Displacement vs. Time (top) and

Velocity vs. Time (bottom, red line) graphs of a
person moving toward the origin with constant
velocity.

Figure.6: Produced Displacement vs. Time (top) and

Velocity vs. Time (bottom) graphs of a person moving
toward the origin with constant velocity.

Experiment 2: Errors, Uncertainties, and Measurements

Laboratory Report
Praiseus Acao, Aime Rose Alberto, Aldrin Agawin, Samuelle John Aquino
Department of Math and Physics
College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
Espaa, Manila Philippines

From the displacement vs. time graph, it

can be seen that it moves negatively, from a
high displacement at 0 sec to an almost 0
displacement at 10 sec. This is because the
starting point of the person is at a point away
from the origin, ending at the origin where the

displacement is at zero. Once again, the

velocity is constant having the same x values
but this time, instead of them being positive, the
x values are negative since the person is
moving toward (negative) the origin. Third was
for a person moving away from a chosen
starting point along a straight line with
increasing speed for 10 seconds.

Figure.7: Predicted Displacement vs. Time (top) and

Velocity vs. Time (bottom) graphs of a person moving
away from the origin along a straight line with
increasing speed

Figure.8: Produced Displacement vs. Time (top) and

Velocity vs. Time (bottom) graphs of a person moving
away from the origin along a straight line with
increasing speed

Here, the displacement is gradually

moving upward over time because the speed
also needed to increase at the same time. To
accomplish this, the steps taken must be larger
as time passes. This is why the displacement
gradually increases. The velocity on the other
hand, is moving positively in a straight line
since the speed is increasing constantly over
time. It is not clearly seen in the produced
graph since getting higher values of velocity
would need higher displacement as well but this
cannot be done due to limited space.
For activity 2, graph matching, a
displacement vs. time graph and a velocity vs.
time graph needed to be reproduced.

Experiment 2: Errors, Uncertainties, and Measurements

Laboratory Report
Praiseus Acao, Aime Rose Alberto, Aldrin Agawin, Samuelle John Aquino
Department of Math and Physics
College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
Espaa, Manila Philippines
For the first graph, the following was
shown along with the experimenters attempt at
reproducing it.

For the second graph, the following was

shown with the experimenters attempt.

Figure.9: Given Displacement vs. Time graph to be

reproduced (black line) with attempted reproduction
(red line)

Figure.10: Given Velocity vs. Time graph to be

reproduced (black line) with attempted reproduction
(red line)

To reproduce this, the person did not

move from his position for approximately 1
second. This, in turn, gave a consistent zero
displacement. Then, he had to move away from
the origin for approximately 2 seconds (3second mark) and had to stop, once again for
approximately 3 seconds (6-second mark). This
produced the positive movement in the
displacement as the person moved away from
the origin, then since he stopped moving again
a line with the same displacement was
produced. After, he had to move closer to the
origin for approximately 1.5 seconds (7.5second mark) and lastly, he had to stop for
approximately 5 seconds (10-second mark),
producing a line moving negatively as he was
walking towards the origin and another line
with the same displacement as he stopped
moving, respectively.

To reproduce this, the experimenter had

to stay still for approximately two seconds. This
produces a line with zero velocity as there was
zero speed. Then, he had to move consistently
away from the origin for approximately 3
seconds (5-second mark). This produced an
elevation in the velocity which turns into a
plateau since the person consistently moves in
that speed. He had to stay still for
approximately 2 seconds (7-second mark),
producing the depression at the velocity since
there was, again, zero speed. Finally, he had to
move towards the origin at a constant speed for
the last 3 seconds (10-second mark) producing
the negative line as he was moving towards the
origin, and another plateau since he was
moving constantly at that speed and direction.
Total

Ave.

Inst.

Experiment 2: Errors, Uncertainties, and Measurements

Laboratory Report
Praiseus Acao, Aime Rose Alberto, Aldrin Agawin, Samuelle John Aquino
Department of Math and Physics
College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
Espaa, Manila Philippines
Time
(s)

Displac
e
ment
(m)
.90
1.47
1.23
1.87
1.59
1.06
1.16
1.60
2.18
2.49

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Velocity
(m/s)

Velocity
(m/s)

0.90
1.47
1.23
1.87
1.59
1.06
1.16
1.60
2.18
2.49

1.80
2.94
2.46
3.74
3.18
2.12
2.32
2.20
4.36
4.98

Instantaneous Velocity (m) vs Time (s)

6
5
4
3
2
1
0

10

Ta
ble 1. Measured and calculated data on the
distance travelled every second
Graph 1. Instantaneous Velocity vs Time
Based on the results, the student was not
able to achieve constant velocity. Although it
can be seen that the student accelerated from
second 1 to the 10th, human error came into
place and gave inconsistent velocities every
second.

Table 2 shows the obtained reaction

time of each student while being idle and while
calling.

Student

Reaction
Time (s)

1
0.207
2
0.064
3
0.163
4
0.202
Table 2. Reaction Time

Reaction
Time (s)
while
calling
0.243
0.186
0.202
0.202

The table shows the reaction time of the

experimenters while dropping a meter stick
without any signal and another while the other
members are distracting the particular student
conducting the experiment. Student 2 had the
best reaction time with 0.064 seconds while
being idle and 0.186 seconds while being
distracted by the other students.
5. Conclusion
From this experiment, the displacement
vs. time and velocity vs. time graphs for
uniform motion and uniformly accelerating
motion of humans in given situations had been
predicted, sketched, and compared to real time
results. From here, it can be said that velocity
can be constant while displacement is
increasing in a straight line. It can also be said
that at increasing velocity, displacement also
gradually increases, showing a slightly curved
line.

Experiment 2: Errors, Uncertainties, and Measurements

Laboratory Report
Praiseus Acao, Aime Rose Alberto, Aldrin Agawin, Samuelle John Aquino
Department of Math and Physics
College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
Espaa, Manila Philippines
The
displacement,
average
velocity, and instantaneous velocity per second
was also determined for a person walking at
constant acceleration. From the results, it can be
seen that as velocity increases, so does the
displacement
since
achieving
constant
acceleration would need larger steps thus
having larger displacements. This can be seen
as the increments of total displacement, average
velocity, and instantaneous velocity increase
every second.
The group members normal reaction
times and their reaction times while talking had
also been determined. From the results, it can
be said that, on average, the reaction times are
slower when talking compared to when they are
concentrated.

Displacement vs. Time from Home to UST

20
15

Displacement (km)

5
0

Time (min)

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

Displacement vs. Time from UST to home

0
-2

6. Applications
1. Devise a way to determine the height of a
building using only a stopwatch.
2. From the point of view of physics, is there a
basis to the law banning the use of
cellphone while driving?
From the point of view of physics,
just like in the reaction time experiment
conducted, the students exhibited better
reaction times when not distracted by
anything. This can be related to driving
while using a mobile phone which greatly
reduces the drivers reaction time and could
be a great danger to the safety of motorists.
3. Draw your displacement versus time graph
and velocity versus time graph from your
home on your way to ust and back.

10

-4
-6

Displacement (km)

-8
-10
-12
-14
-16

Time (min)

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

(origin)

Experiment 2: Errors, Uncertainties, and Measurements

Laboratory Report
Praiseus Acao, Aime Rose Alberto, Aldrin Agawin, Samuelle John Aquino
Department of Math and Physics
College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
Espaa, Manila Philippines

Velocity vs. Time from Home to UST

60

50

-10

40

Velocity km/hr

Velocity vs. Time from Home to UST

30

-20

20

Velocity km/hr -30

10

-40

-50

Time (min)

-60

Time (min)
Figure 3: Velocity vs. Time from Home to UST
Figure 4: Velocity vs. Time from UST to Home (origin)