In past times, ocean navigators tossed a piece of wood over the side of their ships and noted how long until the ship passed the wood. They used this time measurement and the length of the ship to calculate their speed and estimate how...

This lesson will explain what speed is, including the difference between average speed and instantaneous speed, showing how to calculate both. It will also show the common units used to represent speed. It is 2 of 2 in the series titled...

In this activity, students' will use a motion detector to determine what effect the speed at which a person moves has on the appearance of the distance versus time plot.

Eighth graders are presented with the graphs of two cars traveling. One shows distance from home versus time and the other shows speed versus time. Students are to write a description of what might be happening during each car's...

This PBS site is a classroom activity that takes a trip to a black hole. Students apply calculations on distance, velocity, acceleration, time, circular motion, density, and more.

Using these rate of speed problems practice figuring out either the distance, time or speed. Read the interactive quiz rules and then click on the "Begin" ticket. If you answer incorrectly you get one more chance to try again then you...

Determine how golf club head velocity affects shot distance. Make your next trip to the driving range educational by conducting this experiment.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] A video demonstrates how to solve a word problem where you must calculate the speed of a river current. [1:12]

Since running a race car is VERY expensive, race engineers know a great deal about how speed, time and distance relate. In this activity, you will investigate the relationship between distance traveled, speed and elapsed time. You will...

In this activity, students can use the motion detector to record motion, and observe how the direction of movement, speed of travel, and the rate of change of direction and speed affect the shape of a distance-time plot.

In an open-ended design activity, students use everyday materials (milk cartons, water bottles, pencils, straws, candy) to build a small-scale transportation device. They incorporate the use of a wheel and axle, and lever into their...

Discover the difference between speed, velocity, and acceleration. Provides formulas and other interesting facts.

Practice Space Math! Math is the cornerstone of space travel. Familiarize yourself with all the ways math can help you study the solar system. Practice math problems in areas such as speed of light, the distance of planets to the sun,...

In this activity, students' will use a motion detector to observe the effect of speeding up, slowing down, and moving at a constant rate on a Distance versus Time plot.

Students must determine the horizontal speed of a projectile based on the distance that it travels and other given information. Students must find the time of flight and put it in milliseconds. Finally, students must find the final...

In this activity, students' use a motion detector to create straight-line, or constant-speed, distance versus time plots, and analyze the linear equation that describes the plots.

Students will make go-carts and measure the velocity, then change one variable and see how the velocity changes. They will learn about the equation speed = distance divided by time and practice using it.

A physics lab activity where students gather data from classmates running at different rates on a football field. They then share their gathered data and transfer it to a graphing program to ultimately calculate average velocity.

In this race between a bird and a dog, 8th graders are provided with information about their starting locations on a map and their speeds. They are asked to predict a winner, draw the paths they might follow, decide how to determine who...

This learning module examines how the world has become smaller as time and space have converged. Transportation is much faster, making places more accessible, goods can be more quickly and easily transported, and the Internet connects...

On this one page website sharpen your logic and rate measurement skills while working on this challenge. The solution is available to double check your solution.

On this one page website sharpen your logic and rate measurement skills while working on this challenge. The solution is available to double check your solution.

In this video segment from Cyberchase, Harry decides to train as a firefighter and uses line graphs to chart his physical fitness progress.

Given diagrams or scenarios, students will measure and graph changes in motion.