Height Vs. Velocity

Student Questions
I.  Problem:  Can I determine if the height of a ramp effects the velocity of a toy car.

II.  Research:  Velocity is the measurement of distance traveled per unit of time in a given direction. v=d/t.  Gravitational pull is the measure of influence gravity has on an objects velocity.  Gravitational pull is represented as 9.im/s/s.  Potential energy is energy stored that has not yet been released.  Potential energy is the energy of shape and position.  Gravitational potential energy relies on gravitational pull and the height at which an object is dropped.  Gravitational potential energy is the energy a suspended object could have if released due to gravitational pull.  The higher an object is suspended the higher its velocity.  Kinetic energy is the energy of movement and force.  The higher a ramp, the greater gravitational potential energy an object has.  Once released, and object with greater gravitational potential energy will have greater kinetic energy.  The greater the kinetic energy, the greater the objects velocity.

III.  Hypothesis:  The higher the ramp is the greater the cars velocity will be.

IV.  Procedure:

    A.  Materials
          1.  Stopwatch
          2.  Toy car
          3.  Ramp
          4.  Four books
          5.  Meter stick
    B.  Experiment
          1.  Measure the distance from start line to finish line.
          2.  Set the ramp up on two books.  Time the car from start to finish.  Repeat three times.
          3.  Add another book.  Time the car from start to finish.  Repeat three times.  Add another book.  Repeat timing.

V.  Data:
Position
 Distance
 Time
 v=d/t
 Distance
 Time
 v=d/t
 Distance
 Time
 v=d/t
 avg. velocity
2 books
 1 meter
 1.87s
 .53m/s
 1 meter
 1.82s
 .55m/s
 1 meter
 1.96s
 .51m/s
 .53m/s
3 books
 1 meter
 1.59s
 .63m/s
 1 meter
 1.63m/s
 .61m/s
 1 meter
 1.63s
 .61m/s
 .62m/s
4 books
 1 meter
 1.16s
 .86m/s
 1 meter
 1.25s
 .8m/s
 1 meter
 1.47s
 .68m/s
 .78m/s

VI.  Analysis:  Each time the height of the ramp increased,  the velocity increased.  The average velocity of the car when released from a two book ramp was .53m/s.  When we added another book the average velocity of .62m/s.  When we added another book the velocity increased even more to .78m/s.  The steeper the ramp was the faster the object accelerates due to gravitational pull.  The steeper the slope the greater the influence of gravitational potential energy on the toy car.

VII.  Conclusion:  According to my data the car on the highest ramp was influenced the most by gravitational potential energy.  I found that the cars would have no velocity without gravitational pull or some other initial force being applied.  According to my data the more potential energy the car had the greater the car's kinetic energy, and the more kinetic energy the car has, the greater its velocity will be.  I accept my hypothesis that the higher the ramp is the grater the car's velocity will be.