Name: ___________________________ Date: _____________

Grade & Section: __________________ Score:

Activity No.: _______

How Fast is Your Reaction?

Title

Objective:
Measure the length of time of response to catch a dropped object

Materials:
ruler
data chart

Procedure:
1. Construct a table like the one given below, to record your data.
Centimeters when the ruler fell
Trials Eyes open Eyes Closed
Left hand Right hand Left hand Right hand
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
Average
2. Have your partner hold a metric ruler at its end with the highest numberin cm.
3. Place the thumb and forefinger of your left hand close to, but not touching,the
end with the lowest number.
4. When your partner drops the ruler, try to catch it between your thumband
finger

5. Record where the top of your thumb is, when you catch the ruler. Thisnumber
gives how many centimeters the ruler fell.
6. Repeat steps 2 to 5 five more times and record the measurements on thedata
table that you have constructed earlier.
 7. Repeat steps 2 to 5 five more times using your right hand to catch theruler.
8. Repeat steps 2 to 5 five more times using your left hand with your
eyesclosed. Your partner will signal you by saying now when the ruler
drops.
9. Repeat steps 2 to 5 five more times using your right hand with your
eyesclosed. Record your data and observations.
10. Exchange tasks and drop the ruler for your partner.
11. To complete your data chart, change all the centimeters to seconds
bymultiplying by 0.01.
12. After recording all the data, compute for the average by adding up
themeasurements of all the trials and dividing it by the number of trials.

Guide Questions:
(Answers will depend on whether the person is left-handed or right-handed)
1. With which hand did you catch the ruler faster when your eyes were open?

2. With which hand did you catch the ruler faster when your eyes were closed?

3. Did you catch the ruler faster with your eyes open or closed?

4. Explain why a message moving along nerve pathways takes time.

5. Describe the nerve pathway that the message followed when you saw the ruler
fall.