Investigation Lab: Ramp and Roll
Research Question
How does the surface at the bottom of a ramp affect how far a toy car rolls?
Hypothesis
Before you test, predict: On which surface will the car roll the farthest? Why?
Materials Needed
- Toy car or small ball
- Ramp (board, cardboard, or book)
- Ruler or measuring tape
- Different surfaces: smooth floor, carpet, sandpaper, towel
- Notebook and pencil
Procedure
- Set up the ramp: Prop the board at the same angle for all tests.
- Mark a starting line: Always release the car from the same spot on the ramp.
- Test on smooth floor: Release the car and measure how far it rolls. Do this 3 times.
- Test on carpet: Repeat the same way. Do 3 trials.
- Test on sandpaper: Repeat. Do 3 trials.
- Test on towel: Repeat. Do 3 trials.
- Calculate averages: Add the 3 trials for each surface and divide by 3.
Sample Data Table
| Surface | Trial 1 | Trial 2 | Trial 3 | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smooth Floor | 48 cm | 52 cm | 50 cm | 50 cm |
| Carpet | 22 cm | 20 cm | 24 cm | 22 cm |
| Sandpaper | 15 cm | 18 cm | 16 cm | 16.3 cm |
| Towel | 12 cm | 10 cm | 14 cm | 12 cm |
Analysis Questions
1. On which surface did the car roll the farthest?
A) Carpet
B) Smooth floor
C) Sandpaper
D) Towel
Answer
B) Smooth floor - Smooth surfaces have less friction, so objects roll farther.
2. Why did we do 3 trials for each surface?
A) Because we had extra time
B) To get more accurate results by averaging
C) The instructions said so
D) To use more paper
Answer
B) - Multiple trials reduce error and give more reliable average results.
3. What force caused the car to slow down and stop?
A) Gravity
B) Magnetism
C) Friction
D) Wind
Answer
C) Friction - Friction between the car and surface acts against motion.
4. Which surface had the MOST friction?
A) Smooth floor
B) Carpet
C) The one where the car stopped soonest
D) Both A and B
Answer
C) - The surface where the car traveled the shortest distance has the most friction.
5. What was the variable that changed in this experiment?
A) The car
B) The ramp height
C) The surface at the bottom
D) The starting position
Answer
C) The surface - This is the independent variable we tested.
6. What did we keep the same (control)?
A) The surface
B) The car, ramp angle, and starting position
C) Nothing
D) The distance traveled
Answer
B) - We kept everything the same except the surface to make it a fair test.
7. Based on your results, what makes a surface have high friction?
A) Being smooth
B) Being rough or bumpy
C) Being shiny
D) Being cold
Answer
B) Rough or bumpy - Rough surfaces create more friction than smooth ones.
8. If you made the ramp steeper, what would happen to the distance?
A) The car would roll less far
B) The car would roll farther
C) No change
D) The car wouldn't move
Answer
B) Roll farther - A steeper ramp gives the car more speed, so it travels farther.
9. How is this experiment like real life?
A) Roads need smooth surfaces for cars to drive easily
B) It isn't like real life
C) All surfaces are the same in real life
D) Cars don't use friction
Answer
A) - Paved roads reduce friction so vehicles can travel efficiently.
10. What else could you test in this experiment?
A) Different cars or balls
B) Different ramp heights
C) Different amounts of force to push
D) All of the above
Answer
D) All of the above - Any of these could be new variables to test.
Next Steps
- Graph your results as a bar chart
- Try the experiment with a heavier object
- Continue to CER Writing