*Exploring and Discovering Science*

Monday, February 8, 2010

Experiment One:



Check
Your Reaction Time!


Just what is "reaction time?"
Reaction is defined as a response to a situation.
Time is defined as a system of measuring the passage of time.
So, when you put those two definitions together, you understand that reaction time is defined as how fact you are to react to a situation.
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Discussion Question:
Could your reaction time be a matter of life or death? Think about it as we create a way to record your reaction time.
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Materials Needed:
Science experiment book, ruler, scissors, 6 markers, a pencil, and six 3in name tags

Step One: Take the ruler and measure the name tag at two inches and make a mark.
Repeat for the remaining five name tags.

Step Two: Cut the tags along the 2in. mark.

Step Three: Color the six tags with different colors.

Step Four: Line the tags up in the order you want the reaction time to be.
For mine: Red is the fastest reaction time and pink is the slowest.

Step Five: Take the tags and place them on one side of the ruler. (Doesn't matter which side).

The Finished Product!!!
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Now to check your reaction time:
Please refer to the link here for directions:

Red/Orange: Fast Reaction Time
Yellow/Green: Medium Reaction Time
Blue/Pink: Slow Reaction Time
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Do you have a slow or fast reaction time? What determines your reactions time?
Some factors that determine reaction time are:
  • Experience
  • Age
  • Fitness
  • Fatigue
  • Illness
  • Pre-occupation
  • Distraction
  • Mood
  • Medication, prescribed and/or not
  • Poor Vision and/or hearing
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Curiosity Zone: Time for Variations

After you’ve tested yourself, why not experiment further. Here’s a few suggestions, do reaction times vary:
  • for people of different ages (children verses adults)?
  • if you use your dominant hand verses non-dominant hand?
  • if you are tired or alert?
  • for men verses women?
  • depending on your mood?
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Other Resources for Reaction Time:

Reaction Time Test Online
Proof that Men are Quicker than Women
Fingertip Reaction Time
Kayla Whitt's Reaction Time Reserach

4 comments:

  1. Great experiment students will love to do this. the name tags were genius!

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  2. what population has a shorter reaction time (genders, ages)?

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  3. I noticed you had 4 different people in your experiment. Do you think that age affects the reaction time?

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  4. Amy, I do think reaction time is affected by age. I think mood has a lot to do with reaction time too. Chi Che I think the population with a higher metabolism would have a faster reaction time. They are quick.

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