Question

Raul wants to investigate how the angle of a ramp affects the speed of an obiect rolling down the ramp. He can conduct his investigation in a number of different ways. Which investigation should he perform?

A. observe different bicyclists riding down hills of varying steepness
B. record the time it takes one bicyclist to ride down hills of varying steepness
C. perform an experiment in a lab in which the angle of the ramp is controlled and the speed of a rolling cart is measured
D. observe video of various objects rolling down hills and estimate the angle of the hill and the speed of the object

Answer 1

Raul should conduct a laboratory experiment to control the ramp angle and measure the rolling cart speed, ensuring the reliability of the data collected.

Step-by-step explanation:

Raul should perform an experiment in a lab where the angle of the ramp is controlled, and the speed of a rolling cart is measured. This setup allows Raul to minimize external variables and accurately measure the effect of ramp steepness on the speed of the cart. In the experiment, Raul needs to ensure that the same cart is used for all trials to maintain consistency. The process would involve measuring the time it takes for the cart to roll down the ramp for varying angles and then using this time to calculate speed. Raul can also explore recording the data multiple times with segments of the ramp and various personnel to note the effects of different roles on the outcome.

To mitigate variabilities such as reaction times between Jaiqua and Harold, as suggested by past experiments, having multiple trials with changing the roles of the participants can provide more reliable data. This would allow Raul to compare results between trials to ensure that the differences in speed are due to ramp steepness and not experimental error.