Required Practical 7 - Reaction Time

What is a reaction time?

The time taken to respond to changes in the environment

Describe how you would investigate how practice affect reaction times in humans

• Work in partners. One partner places the forearm of their non-dominant hand on the table, with their hand hanging off the edge.

• One partner should hold the ruler between the fingers of the other partner at the 0 mark.

• The partner holding the ruler drops it without any warning, and the other partner should catch the ruler as quickly as possible.

• Record the number level after the ruler has been caught - repeat at least 5 times per person.

• Find reaction times using a conversion table.

What other factors could you investigate in this experiment?

The effect of caffeine or exercise on reaction times

What safety precautions should be taken during this experiment?

Avoid injury from falling ruler