DATE & TIME: TUESDAY, AUGUST, 24 DURING CLASS

LOCATION: THE PHYSICS LAB - ROOM 110 & 112

TEAM MEMBERS: TWO (2); OF YOUR OWN CHOOSING

PURPOSE: Design and construct a mechanical device that will measure time to the nearest tenth second (0.1) for a maximum interval of 60 seconds.

CONCEPTS COVERED: TIME, MEASUREMENT, PROBLEM SOLVING, ENGINEERING

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. Timing devices must be completed by the end of class Monday, August 23 2003

2. You are responsible for being present to personally operate your device on the day of the competition.

3. MATERIALS:

   a) The device is to be your own creation and totally mechanical.

   b) No commercial counters or timepieces or parts of commercial counters or timepieces can be used.

   c) No electrical devices or electricity can be used.

   d) Other than the test restrictions in b & c, any material can be used to create the timing device.

4. Each team must calibrate their timing device against a functional timing device.

5. Members can only construct the device in the Physics Lab at VCHS. All materials and tools needed to complete the device must be supplied and brought to school in its original form by the team members.

   *NOTE: ANY DEVICE DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED IN WHOLE OR PART OUTSIDE OF THE PHYSICS LAB WILL BE DISQUALIFIED (GRADE 0).

6. Team members will be allowed to work on their device during class on Monday, August 23. This is the only time that will be granted for this project.

7. Teams will be allowed 10 minutes at the beginning of class on Tuesday, August 24 in order to make final preparations.

COMPETITION: Each team will use its timing device to measure three intervals of time. The device that keeps the most accurate time will be deemed champion.

SCORING: Each team will begin the competition with 100 points. Errors in time measurement generate penalty points, which will be subtracted from the initial 100 points. At the end of the competition, the team with the highest point total is the champion.

TRIAL               TIME INTERVAL               PENALTY POINTS PER TENTH (± 0.1) SECOND ERROR

1                              10.0 s                                                             1.0 /(Level 1: 2 pts)

2                              30.0 s                                                             0.5 / (Level 1: 1 pt)

3                              Mystery Time                                              0.1 / (Level 1: 0.5 pts)

DATA: Make a table of your results from the competition.

ERROR ANALYSIS: Do a percent error analysis for each of the three intervals of time that your team measured.

CONCLUSIONS:

1. Describe the overall design of your device (a sketch is sometimes helpful).

2. What factors or ideas led you to this choice for your time piece?

3. How is your device calibrated to measure time? (How do you know when one second has elapsed?)

4. What place did you finish?

5. How do your results compare with your expectations?

6. Describe how you would improve your design to make your timing device more accurate.

7. Additional comments reflecting on this activity.

GRADING: 50 POINTS WILL BE AWARDED FOR THIS ACTIVITY.
                    

1. Having a completed device (10 Points)

2. The results of the competition. (20 points - depending on your place of finish.)

3. The Lab Report. (20 points)