reaction time

• Reaction time required practical

  1. Get a chair, meter ruler, table, and partner

  2. Use weaker hand, place forearm on desk with thumb and forefinger over edge

  3. Partner drops ruler, you close fingers when you detect movement

  4. Use corner of eye, stare at wall across room

  5. Record distance travelled

  6. Repeat 10 times

  7. Calculate average reaction time
• Reaction time


  How long it takes to react to a changing stimulus in your surroundings
• Reaction time is mentioned in biology exam and GCSE physics relating to driving and stopping distances
• A better reaction time is a shorter time because you are reacting faster to a stimulus
• A common misconception is over the term reaction time
• If distracted


  You won't be able to react as quickly to the ruler dropping
• Take short rests between experiments, otherwise you'll become too used to the movement of the ruler and it could affect the results
• Convert the distance measurements into reaction time using a conversion table
• You can compare your reaction time before and after taking a stimulant such as caffeine or sugar
• You can compare your reaction time to the rest of the class