Reaction Time Lab

Thornridge High School

Reaction Time Lab

Mr. Sievers PREAP Physics classes at Thornridge performed a freefall lab to determine their reaction time. Reaction time is the lapse of time between stimulation and the beginning of response. Your reaction time depends on many factors including the stimulus and the particular part of the body that is to react, i.e., it takes longer to move your foot from the gas to the brake pedal than it does for your fingers to grab something simply because your leg is heavier and it has to move farther. Students were paired in two’s and would drop a meterstick while their partner tried to close their hand on the stick and catch it. Students applied classical physics equations to determine their reaction time. The distance the meterstick fell before being caught allowed students to determine their reaction time.