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Which ramp gets the ball there sooner?

Compare two ramp angles using a real ball and the same finish sensor.

  • Kinematics
  • 15 min
  • Upper primary, ages 9–12
  • English
  • Physics
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Two views of the same ramp: one at 20 degrees and a steeper one at 30 degrees. Both show the ball at the start and the final sensor 56 centimetres along the ramp.
Kinematics · Lab details

Learning Outcomes

  • Read the ball's travel time at the same sensor for two ramp angles.

  • Use the two times to decide which run reached that sensor sooner.

  • Identify the angle as the change and the finish sensor as the same.

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Student activity preview

Activity Content

Preview only. In a class session, students can fill in responses and submit their work to the teacher.

1

1 · Two slopes, one finish

3 min

Imagine rolling a ball down a ramp. Would raising one end help it reach the finish sooner?

We will use a real ramp in the Kinematics lab. Choose 20°, then 30°, and watch a recorded run of the ball each time. The 30° ramp is steeper. We compare the runs one at a time, using the same final sensor at 56 cm.

Two views of the same ramp: one at 20 degrees and a steeper one at 30 degrees. Both show the ball at the start and the final sensor 56 centimetres along the ramp.

Change the slope. Keep the same start and the same finish sensor.

Tell a partner your prediction: will the ball take less time at 20°, at 30°, or about the same time? This is a prediction, not a test of getting the answer right.

2

2 · Read two times

8 min

Work in pairs. One person operates the lab; the other finds the result. Swap roles for the second run.

The sensors measure the time for you. ms means milliseconds: tiny parts of a second. Copy the number the lab shows; no stopwatch or conversion is needed.

  1. Open the Kinematics lab. Set the angle control to 20° and select Start experiment now.

  2. Watch the ball roll. When Drop results appears, check that the angle is 20°.

  3. Find 56 in the d (cm) row. Copy the number directly below it in t (ms): this is the time to the final sensor. Write it next to 20° on paper.

  4. Select Restart experiment. Set 30°, select Start experiment now, and watch the second run.

  5. Check the results angle is 30°. Copy the t (ms) value directly below 56 again, next to 30°.

  6. Return to this activity. After using both angles, mark the practice as done and enter your two times below.

Time at 20°

At 20°, what time did the lab show at 56 cm?

Time at 30°

At 30°, what time did the lab show at 56 cm?

3

3 · Let the numbers decide

4 min

Both times are for the same finish sensor. A smaller time means the ball reached it sooner.

Your conclusion

Which conclusion fits your two recorded times?

Point to your numbers and tell your partner: “My evidence is…” Did it change your prediction? Then submit your answers.

Optional: why would comparing the time at 16 cm in one run with the time at 56 cm in the other be unfair? Explain aloud.

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