Measuring Constant Velocity

This demonstration illustrates the concept of uniform motion, specifically constant velocity, by tracking the movement of toy cars over time. In this setup, the cars move along a level surface with a net force of zero. A motion detector or ticker tape timer is often used to measure the position of the object at regular intervals. As the car moves, its position is recorded at consistent time intervals, and the data is used to plot a position vs. time graph. A straight line on the graph indicates constant velocity, where the slope of the line represents the speed of the object. This demonstration helps visualize and reinforce the idea that velocity is the rate of change of position over time, and shows that for constant velocity, this rate remains unchanged. Students can analyze the relationship between time, distance, and velocity, providing an intuitive understanding of uniform motion in physics.