1. The Track & Field Championship
Unit 7
The Track & Field Championship

2. Essential Questions
What is the relationship between speed, distance, and time, and how are they calculated?
How can we use trends from track and field competitions to make predictions for future competition results?
Are average speed and speed the same at all points in a race?
How can we use a graph to analyze a runner’s speed in a race?
How does our stride length relate to wavelength, and how can we use this data to calculate the frequency of a runner?
What is the difference between motion and landing position of objects dropped straight down to those with projectile motion?
How does the concept of energy conservation relate to the pole vault?

3. Chapter Challenge (pp. 140-141)
TASOK is going to send a track and field team to the Penn Relays
You need to write a physics manual to train the TASOK team and help them improve their performance for 3 different track & field events (must include 1 field and 1 track event) which includes the following:
Include a description of the physics principles related to the events
Provide specific techniques to improve performance (diagrams recommended)
Help students compare themselves with their competitors (i.e. are there different techniques for your events?)
Due Date: April 12

4. Day 1: Running the Race Learning Objectives:
Measure distance in meters along a straight line
Use a stopwatch to measure the amount of time for a person to travel a measured distance
Use measurements of distance and time to calculate the average speed of a running person
Compare the average speeds of a running person during segments of a run
Compare the average speeds of different persons running along the same path
Infer factors which affect the average speed of a running person

5. Starter

6. Starter (cont’d)
Very few people can run the 100m in under 10s (Usain Bolt ran it in 9.63s at this past summer’s Olympic Games)
How can you measure a runner’s speed?
Does running twice as far take twice as much time? Explain.
What time do you think Usain Bolt ran (& won) the 200m finals in at this past Olympics?
Time: 15 minutes

7. Activity 1 You will be put into groups of 5 people
Choose 1 person in the group who will run 20m
The other 4 people will be timers
Mark out a 20m “track” with markers every 5m (ie. At 0m, 5m, 10m, 15m, and 20m)
The timers will stand at all the positions (except 0m) and record the time it takes for the runner to start to get to their position
How will you calculate the time taken to run the 5m interval you need to time?
The person at the 5m mark will be the starter
Run 3 trials, giving the runner a couple of minutes in between to rest. This is when you can record your data
Time: 30 minutes

8. Data Table Distance 0-5m 5-10m 10-15m 15-20m Trial #1 Time (s)
Speed (m/s)
Trial #2 Time (s)
Trial #3 Time (s)
Average speed (m/s)

9. Activity 2
Calculate the speed at the different intervals and complete your table
How do you calculate the different times? You will need to work together and have everyone’s data to calculate these.
What was the runner’s average speed for the 4 intervals?
Does running twice as far take twice as much time?
What is the runner’s average speed for the entire 20m? How does this compare to the 4 intervals?
Which interval did the runner have the greatest speed? How does this compare to other group’s data?
Time: 15 minutes

10. Activity 3
Graph the data you collected, using the average time for each of the four intervals
What type of graph will you use?
What information goes on the x-axis? The y-axis?
Give your graph an appropriate title
Time: 10 minutes

11. Closing & Homework
Create a distance, speed, time triangle that can be used to calculate for an unknown.
Read “For You to Read” pg. 145
Physics to Go, pg. 146 #1a, 2, 4, 6
Reminder: All corrections and outstanding work due this Friday!

12. Day 2: Analysis of Trends
Learning Objectives:
Sketch a best fit curve or trend line on a graph on which points have been plotted
Extrapolate graphs to predict trends beyond available data
Create graphs of data presented in tabular form
Calculate the average speed of a runner given distance and time
Calculate the time required for a runner to travel a specified distance given the runner’s average speed
Interpret information presented in graphical form

13. Starter
Current trends indicate that women will start outrunning men in 65 years
Watch the following videos. One is from 1928, the other is from 2012.
Is it useful to compare track records over many years of time?
Can future track records be predicted based on past performances?
What are some differences that you notice between the races from the two time periods?
Time: 20 minutes

16. Activity 1 Look at the graph “Speed vs. Year: Men’s Olympic 400m Dash”
What is this graph showing?
Sketch a curved line or straight line through the data points
What is the trend that you observe happening in the speed for the 400m over the past 100 years?
Guess what the line would look like until According to your extrapolation, what will the speed of the winner of the Olympics be?
In 1980, the speed of the winner is ~9.0m/s. How fast did the winner do the 400m run in (assume 9.0m/s)?
Time: 20 minutes

17. Activity 2
Look at the graph “Speed vs. Distance: Men and Women, Penn Relays”
What does this graph show?
Sketch the shapes of the two graphs that are shown
What do you notice about the trends of the average speed for men and women as the distance of the races get longer?
Extrapolate to predict the record speed for the 10,000m for men and women
Time: 20 minutes

18. Activity 3
Your plan to help your school’s track team at the Penn Relays will only be as good as your knowledge of current performances in T&F.
Research the top times/distances for under 18 boys and girls(high school students) in the following events (use meters for the field events). Some Canadian sites to help you include OTFA and OFSAA.
High Jump
100m
400m hurdles
1500m
Triple Jump
Time: 20 minutes

19. Closing & Homework
Does knowing past performances help determine future performances? Why or why not?
Physics to Go, pg. 150 #2, 3, 4,5

20. Day 3: Who Wins the Race? Learning Objectives:
Measure short time intervals in arbitrary units
Measure distances to the nearest mm
Use a record of an object’s position vs. time to calculate the object’s average speed during designated position and time intervals
Measure and describe changes in an object’s speed
Relate changes in the speed of an object traveling on a complex sloped track to the shape of the track

21. Starter
The average jogging pace for a human is 9-12 km/h. The average running pace for a human is (top athlete) 36 km/h.
How fast does an average car travel?
How do you determine who wins a race?
The runner with the highest finishing speed?
The runner with the highest average speed?
The runner with the greatest top speed?
Time: 15 minutes

22. Starter

23. Activity 1 Move to your lab groups
Design an experiment that determines a cart’s average speed
You will test the cart’s speed on a flat surface and three inclines
Sections to include are:
Aim/Objective
Hypothesis
Materials
Procedure
Data
Analysis (after experiment is complete)
Time: 20 minutes

24. Activity 2
Carry out your investigation after you have your plan okayed by me
Type up your plan and results
Due: Friday, March 22
Time: 30 minutes

25. Closing & Homework
How do you determine the average speed of an object?
On which track produced the top speed for your cart?
Physics to go, pg. 155 #3, 4, 5, 6

26. Day 4: Understanding the Sprint (60 min)
Learning Objectives:
Calculate the average speed of a runner given distance and time
Produce a histogram showing the average speeds of a runner during segments of a race; analyze changes in a runner’s speed
Produce a graph of distance vs. time from split time data for a runner
Estimate the slope of a distance vs. time graph at specified times
Recognize that the slope of a distance vs. time graph at a particular time represents the speed at that time

27. Starter

28. Starter

29. Starter
After watching the videos for the 100m (Carl Lewis, 1991) and the long jump (Mike Powell, 1991) discuss the following questions:
How long does it take to get up to maximum speed?
Does it differ depending on the event you are competing in? Why?
When does a sprinter want to be at their maximum speed? How about a long jumper?
Time: 15 minutes

30. Activity 1 Work through steps 1-5 on pp. 156-158
Graph paper is available for you to use
When you finish, you can do research for your chapter challenge
Time: 45 minutes

31. Homework
Physics to go, pg. 159 #2, 3, 5

32. Day 5: Acceleration Learning Objectives:
Understand the definition of acceleration
Understand meters per second per second as the unit of acceleration
Distinguish between acceleration and deceleration

33. Starter
Accelerating out of the starting block is important if a runner is going to win a race
If all runners in a race have equal top speeds and none “fade” at the end of the race, what determines who wins?
How is response time a factor in determining who wins the race?
What do you think blocks do, and what do you think the correct technique is for starting in them?
Time: 15 minutes

34. Starter

36. Activity 1
In your lab groups, construct an accelerometer like the picture below

37. Activity 2 Work through the “For you to do”
Choose someone who doesn’t normally record to be the recorder
Choose 2 people to walk forwards and backwards to compare results and make sure that your results are accurate
Time: 45 minutes

38. Closing & Homework
You can use this time to research your events for the chapter challenge
I am going to come around and ask your groups and what events you are doing
Read “Physics Talk”, pg. 162 and “For you to Read”, pg. 163
Physics to Go, pg. 165 #1, 2, 3, 6, Choose 3 from 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16

39. Day 6: Measurement Learning Objectives:
Calibrate the length of a stride
Measure a length by pacing and with a meter stick
Identify sources of error in measurement
Evaluate estimates of measurements as reasonable or unreasonable
Measure various objects and calculate the error in each measurement

40. Starter

41. Starter
In about 200 BC, Eratosthenes calculated the circumference of Earth. He used shadows cast by the sun in two cities and a measurement of the distance between the two cities. The distance between the cities was found by pacing.
Two people measure the length of the same object. One reports a length of 3m, the other reports a length of 10m. Has one of them goofed? Why do you think?
What if the measurements were 3m and 3.1m?
How does this play a factor in measuring the distances jumped or thrown in track and field events?
Is there room for error in these events? How so?
Time: 15 minutes

42. Activity 1 Move to your new lab groups
Work through steps 1-8 on pp
Choose 1 person to record, one person to walk, and one (or two) person (people) to measure
Hand in your answers/observations when complete
Time: 40 minutes

43. Activity 2 You may use this time to work on your chapter challenge
This is your last chance before break to ask me questions about form, technique, etc.

44. Closing & Homework For you to read, pg. 169
Physics to go, pg. 170 #1, 3, 4, 7

45. Day 7: Increasing Top Speed
Learning Objectives
Calculate the average speed of a runner given distance and time
Measure the frequency of strides of a running person
Measure the length of strides of a running person
Recognize that either the equation (speed = distance/time) or the equation (speed = stride frequency x stride length) may be used to calculate a runner’s speed with equivalent results
Infer ways in which stride length and stride frequency can be adjusted by a runner to increase speed

46. Starter A cheetah can reach a top speed of 100km/h (30m/s)
What is the top speed a runner can reach?
Watch the video of the cheetah running
What are some differences between a human’s stride and a cheetah’s stride?
What can a runner do in order to increase their top speed?
Time: 15 minutes

47. Activity 1 Watch the video of the runner
Calculate their speed (note it is yards/sec – where are they running? Why is it in yards/sec?)
You will need a stopwatch to record their time
Compare the speed you calculated to the speed the people at your desk got
Why are there discrepancies? (Think back to last lesson)
Time: 10 minutes

48. Activity 2
Now count the number of strides taken by the runner during the entire run
Use the number of strides and the total time to calculate the runners stride frequency in strides/sec
Stride frequency = number of strides
time (sec)
Time: 5 min

49. Activity 3 Calculate the average length of one stride of the runner
How will you do this?
Calculate the runner’s speed using the “new” equation for speed: speed = stride frequency x stride length
Compare the results of your two speeds
Do the equations agree on the speed of the runner?
How good is the agreement?
Explain any differences in results that you obtained
Time: 15 min

50. Activity 4 Work through steps 4-8 on pg. 172 with your lab group
You may use the field or the covered court (whichever is not being used by the PE class)
Choose different people from Tuesday to be the recorder, runner, and measurer
Hand in your observations when you are completed
Time: 30 minutes

51. Closing & Homework
You may use whatever time is leftover to work on your chapter challenge
Homework:
Read Physics Talk, pg. 173
Physics to go, pg. 174 #1, 2, 4, 5, 6
Stretching Exercises

52. Day 8: Projectile Motion & The Shot Put
Learning Objectives:
Understand and apply the terms free fall, projectile, trajectory, range
Observe that all projectiles launched horizontally from the same height strike a level surface in equal times, regardless of launch speed
Understand that the vertical and horizontal components of a projectile’s motion operate independent of one another
Infer factors which affect the range and shape of a projectile’s trajectory
Measure the acceleration due to gravity
Understand that the average speed at a specified time of an object which has fallen freely from rest is equal to half of the speed attained by the object at the specified time
Apply the equation speed = gΔt to calculate the speed attained by an object which has fallen freely from rest

53. Starter

54. Starter
A world record shot put record of 23.12m was set by Randy Barnes in 1990
What determines how far an object thrown into the air travels before landing?
Will a higher or lower launch point of a projectile increase range?
Will a particular launch angle increase range?
Will a greater launch speed of a projectile increase range?
Time: 15 min

55. Activity 1 – In lab groups
Place a coin on the edge of the table with about half of the coin hanging over the edge
Shoot another coin at this coin (off-center) so the coin hanging off the edge falls straight down and the shot coin falls with some projectile motion. Vary the speed of the projected coin.
Repeat as many times as necessary to answer the following questions:
Which coin hits the floor first?
How does its speed affect the amount of time for either coin to fall to the floor?
How does speed affect how far across the floor the projected coin lands?
Time: 15 minutes

56. Activity 2 - Group 2 volunteers needed
1 person will push the other person in a chair at a constant speed
While the chair is moving, the person sitting will throw a ball up in the air and try to catch it
Before we begin, what do you think will happen?
What do you observe about the ball’s trajectory (shape of the path) and the ball’s range (horizontal distance)?
What happens when the speed of the chair is varied?
What factors affect the range of the ball?
What is the shape of the trajectory?
Time: 15 minutes

57. Activity 3 – Lab group We will go outside and “shot put”
With your lab group, come up with a hypothesis on how the following affect the distance the ball can go:
Angle at which the ball is released
Speed at which the ball is released
Height at which the ball is released
Give everyone a chance to shot put and see how the different variables affect the distance it travels
Time: 30 minutes

58. Homework Read Physics Talk, pg. 178 Physics to Go, pg. 181 #3, 5, 6
For you to read, pg. 168
Physics to go, pg. 191 #1, 2, 12

59. Day 9: The Pole Vault (60 min)
Learning Objectives
Understand and apply the equation KE = ½ mv2
Understand and apply the equation PE = mgh
Understand and apply the equation PE (spring) = ½ kx2
Understand and measure transformations among kinetic and potential forms of energy

60. Starter

61. Starter The world record for pole vault is 6.14m
If good vaulters have a pole that is around 7m, why can’t they vault 7m?
What factors limit the height vaulters have been able to attain?
Time: 15 minutes

62. Activity 1 – Lab group Work through steps 4-6 on pg. 195
How high does your coin travel with:
1cm deflection?
2cm deflection?
3cm deflection?
How is the height the coin travels related to the amount of deflection of the ruler?

63. Activity 2
You may use this time to work on your project which is due on Friday
You will not have to present your project to the class

64. Closing & Homework Friday – in class assessment
For you to read, pg. 196
Physics to go, pg. 201 #1, 2, 4,

65. Day 10 – Summative Assessment
Choose 1 track & field event and explain the physics concepts behind it. Things to consider include:
Energy conversions
Distance/speed/time data analysis throughout the event (graph)
How can a person get faster/jump further or higher/throw farther?
How do you determine who wins the event?
How is the event measured?
Reflection of the unit