View Tubes Lab

View Tubes LabSeptember 14, 2012

View Tubes Lab

Introduction: Through data collection, your group will explore relationships between the length of a viewing tube, its diameter, and the viewable vertical distance.

Procedure:

1. Tape a piece of masking tape on the floor 1.5 m from the wall.

2. Tape the meter stick to the wall at eye level.

3. Standing on the piece of tape, place the view tube to your eye. The top edge of the view tube should align with the top of the meter stick. Determine where the bottom of the view tube “hits” the meter stick (viewable vertical distance). Have your partner stand at the wall and use a pencil/pen to help mark where you are able to view.

Part A: Exploring the Relationship between the length of a viewing tube and the viewable vertical distance

1. Choose the “length” set of view tubes.

2. Standing on the piece of tape on the floor, record the viewable vertical distance for each view tube length indicated in the table.

Table A: Viewable Vertical Distance as a Function of View Tube Length
View Tube Length (cm) / Viewable Vertical Distance (cm)
10
15
20
25
30

Part B: Exploring the Relationship between the diameter of a viewing tube and the viewable vertical distance

1. Choose the “diameter” set of view tubes.

2. Standing on the piece of tape on the floor, record the viewable vertical distance for each view tube diameter indicated in the table.

Table B: Viewable Vertical Distance as a Function of View Tube Diameter
View Tube Diameter (cm) / Viewable Vertical Distance (cm)
1.2
1.8
2.6
4
5.2

Follow-Up Questions

PART A

1. Define the independent and dependent variables.

2. Using the graph below make a scatterplot of the data table related to your answer in #2. Label the axes.

3. As the independent variable increases, what happens to the dependent variable?

4. As the independent variable decreases, what happens to the dependent variable?

5. Would it be reasonable to consider a measurement of 0 for the independent variable?

6. Would it be reasonable to consider a measurement of 0 for the dependent variable?

7. What is a reasonable domain and range for this situation?

8. Would a linear function be an appropriate model for the relationship between the viewable distance and the tube length? Justify with details.

PART B