Constant Velocity Vs. Constant Acceleration

This lab was to test the difference between constant velocity and constant acceleration. It gave us an idea of what the two were and what the difference between the two is; it helped further explain the definition because it showed it what it was not just being told what it was. Constant velocity is when an object (in this case the ball) covers the same distance in the same amount of time ( 0.5 seconds ), and the formula used for it is V= distance / time. Constant acceleration is when an object (the ball) is speeding up and covering more distance per time, and there are two different formulas used for it: how fast somethings going is V= a x t and how far somethings going is D= 1/2 a x t(squared). In the lab, we first tested constant velocity by rolling the ball on flat surface and marking every 0.5 second where it was. Then after we got our data, we put it into Microsoft Excel and found out our equation. Similar thing for constant acceleration, but instead we placed two books under one side of the table, so that the table was inclined, and rolled the ball down. For this, the ball had constant acceleration because the inclination was the same going down. Both lines, for constant velocity and constant acceleration, are increasing to the right. For constant velocity, my graph and data show that as time increases the distance also increases at a constant rate. For constant acceleration, the graph and data show the same thing, however, the distance does not increase at a constant rate. From this lab, I learned that when I am absent I day that I must email Ms. Lawrence and ask her what I missed. Also, I learned that it is important to pay attention to what is going on and make sure that you understand what to do, and if not make sure to ask peers questions and Ms. Lawrence questions. The third important thing I learned is the difference between the two constant acceleration formulas; the difference hadn't hit me until I actually looked at it and acknowledged that how far would be distance because far is going somewhere, while how fast is velocity because your covering the distance; knowing this made me really happy.