College of Science, University of Santo Tomas

Espaa, Mnaila Philippines

Abstract
This report presents the graphical
analysis of human motion and motion in
general, and the difference between a
persons normal reaction time and a
person who is on the phones reaction
time. Graphical analysis of human
motion and graph matching was
performed through the use of a computer
program called logger pro. Reaction
time tests were taken and results showed
that a persons reaction time deviates
when on the phone.
1. Introduction
This experiment is focused on the
mechanics and equations that relate to
human motion. Kinematics is a branch of
physics and a subdivision of classical
mechanics concerned with the
geometrically possible motion of a body
or system of bodies without
consideration of the forces involved.
Kinematics aims to provide a description
of the spatial position of bodies or
systems of material particles, the rate at
which the particles are moving
(velocity), and the rate at which their
velocity is changing (acceleration).
This experiments objectives are:
1. To be able to draw the displacement
versus time graphs and velocity versus
time graphs for uniform motion and
uniformly accelerated motion.
2. To determine the normal reaction time
of a person and the effect of using a cell
phone to the reaction time of a person.
2. Theory
Average Velocity:
Vav=

Instantaneous Velocity:
Vi=
Displacement vs time graph:
3. Methodology
During the first activity, the group
was asked to sketch a graph
predicting the displacement versus
time and the velocity versus time of a
person moving away with constant
velocity, and increasing speed from a
chosen starting point in 10 seconds.
After that, the group was asked to
use the Logger Pro to describe what
the group predicted. The second
activity was about graph matching.
The group was asked to contest what
was shown in the graph. The third
activity was the graphical analysis of
motion that needed a representative
from the group who will walk in 10
seconds. A member has to record the
data by plotting the distance travelled
every second. Then, determine the
instantaneous velocity at the end of
each time interval. The fourth
activity was the reaction time where
one member of the group was to hold
a meter stick vertically at zero while
the thumb of the other member was
positioned at the 50cm mark. When
the member who held the meter stick
drops it, the other member was
supposed to catch it with his/ her
thumb and index finger. This activity
was performed the the rest of the
members and was repeated while the
other member was talking to a friend
using a cell phone.

Figure 4: Meter stick used in

Reaction Time

Figure 1: Logger Pro used to produce a

graph from the motions stated above.

Figure: 5: timer used for

Graphical Analysis of Motion
4. .Results and Discussion

Figure 2: 01b Graph Matching

result 1

The graphs below show

the predictions for the
following scenarios given,
Displacement versus Time
graph and Velocity versus
Time graph of a person
moving away, towards and
away with an increasing
speed for a period of 10
seconds.

Figure 3: 01d Graph Matching

result 2

The first graph shows the

movement away from the
motion detector and as
predicted exhibits a line going
up. This is because as the time

increases the distance covered

also increases.

the graph on the computer

screen is done by moving away
and towards the motion detector
so that it could calculate the
motion so that it matches the
graph.

The next graph shows the

movement towards the motion
detector as seen here the line in
the graph goes down this is
because as the speed increases
the distance covered decreases.

The last graph shows a result

almost similar as the first graph
as the line goes up since the
only difference between the two
is that the motion performed
here is not constant. As the
speed increases the distance
covered also increases.

Graph matching is an
experiment wherein imitating

The chart below shows the total

displacement, average and
instantaneous velocity of one of
the group member walking in a
straight line measured by each
second of the total ten second
walk.
TIM TOTAL
AVERAGE
E
DISPLACE VELOCITY
MENT
(meters/s
(meters) econd)
1
0.45
0.48

INSTANTANEO
US VELOCITY
(meters/secon
d)
0.45

1.02

0.48

0.57

1.35

0.48

0.33

1.92

0.48

0.57

2.37

0.48

0.45

2.90

0.48

0.53

3.54

0.48

0.44

3.83

0.48

0.50

4.31

0.48

0.48

10 4.79

0.48

0.48

The instantaneous velocity per

second is not constantly going
up it slows down and moves
faster as the displacement
increases.
To determine the reaction time
of a person each member of the
group was asked to hold a meter
stick vertically while the other
members index finger and
thumb where on the 50 cm. A
sudden drop and the other
member had to catch it and it is
to be repeated while talking on
the phone.
ST
UD
EN
T

Reaction
Time (s)

Kalaw

1.50

Reactio
n Time
while
calling
(s)
1.20

Lantin

1.97

2.17

Lanuza

1.86

1.75

Lopamia

1.97

1.75

As seen in the chart members

have shown better reaction time
while on the phone, exhibiting
more concentration when they
are distracted.

5. Conclusion:
In these experiments the
graphs showed the effects of
velocity in relation to
displacement. As shown in the
graph velocity is directly
proportional to displacement
because as the velocity
increases the distance covered
also increases.
Reaction time is defined
as the interval between the
presentation of a stimulus and
the response to it. The results
showed that most members of
the group showed a quicker
response to the stimulus when
talking on the phone, and only
one member showed a slower
response time to it. This could
be because the other members
might be already expecting the
stimulus thus exhibiting a faster
response time. Normally when
occupied or distracted the
response time would be slower
than the one with out the
distraction.
6. Applications

1.Deviceawaytodeterminethe
heightofabuildingusingonlya
stopwatch.

Awayof
determiningthe
heightofbuilding
usingastopwatchis
bydroppingan
objectofknownmassfromthetop
ofthebuildingandtimingit.With
theuseoftheformulawhereDis
theheightofthebuilding,tisthe
amountoftimeittookfortheobject
ofknownmasstofalltotheground
fromthetopofthebuildingandgas
theconstantgravitationalforce.
2.Fromthepointofviewof
physics,isthereabasistothelaw
banningtheuseofcellphoneswhile
driving?
Accordingtoresearch,textingor
callingdoublesapersonsreaction
time.Reactiontimeisthetime
intervalbetweenstimulusand
response.Havingalongerreaction
timewhiledrivingmaycause
problemsespeciallywhenweaddto
thisthementalprocessingtime,the
movementtimeandthedevice
responsetime.Whenthemomentan
accidentisabouttohappen,for
examplethecarinfrontcomestoan
abruptstop,thecarbehinditmust
beabletostopabruptlyaswell.But
ifthedriverinthecarbehindis
otherwisepreoccupiedbyhisphone
hisreactiontothecarinfrontwill
takelongerthannecessary.
Therefore,thereisabasisastowhy
callingortextingwhiledriving
shouldbebanned.Theless

distractedadriveris,thesaferthe
roadswillbe.
3.Drawyourdisplacementversus
timegraphandvelocityversustime
graphfromyourhomeonyourway
toUSTandback
4.Inwhatinstancesisalong
reactiontimeneeded?Inwhat
instancesisashortreactiontime
needed?
Ashortreactiontimeisimportant
whentheactivitybeingdoneisfast
changingandfastpaced,likein
driving,whenparticipatinginsports
activitiesandduringemergency
situationswhereafastsolutionto
theproblemisneeded.Whilealong
reactiontimeisnotexactly
necessary,duetothefactthata
fasterreactiontimeismost
imperative,itcanbeokaywhenthe
activitythatthepersonis
participatinginisslowpacedanda
fastreactionisnotnecessarylike
whenplayingboardgamesand
such.