Reference no: EM132482918

Counting Cars Laboratory

Directions

Choose a location and a time where you will be able to spend a half hour observing traffic. Count the vehicles as they go by, keeping track of the following parameters:

Part 1. Record the vehicles as either a:
a. Small-medium sized car or small pickup - relatively efficient looking.
b. Large "gas guzzler" type vehicle - large pickups, SUVs, large cars.
c. Semis or big delivery type trucks.

Part 2. For categories a and b above, record the number of people in the vehicle. Write a lab report that includes the following sections:
• Introduction: Describe your method, the location, and time of day in your report. You may also discuss why you chose this particular location if you wish.
• Hypothesis: Based on this lab criteria and the readings from the energy chapter of the BIOL 1107 course, construct a hypothesis that predicts what you are expecting to see.
• Results: Present your data. Organize your results (data) in a table. Do not include the list of raw data - add up the totals for each type of vehicle and occupants. Report the data both as numbers and as a percentage. You can make two different tables or get creative and combine them if you wish. Then graph the data in any type of graph you prefer (choose a format that seems to represent your data the best). Be sure your tables and graphs adequately represent the occupants per vehicle information. Make your table right in word or copy and paste your graph right into your lab report.
• Discussion: Summarize your data and identify any major trends. Relate this to your hypothesis (accept or reject). Explain your suspicion of any erroneous data, design flaws, or experimental error that may be present.
• Conclusion: Correlate your findings to the course content from the BIOL 1107 course and any appropriate theories that you think may apply. Lastly, give any parting thoughts, including any future experiments relative to this topic.