Science Fair Projects World

Investigating Reaction Time

Investigating Reaction Time

Objective

Measure and compare reaction times under different conditions.

Materials

  • Ruler or reaction time test app
  • Participants
  • Notebook for recording data

Instructions

  1. Have participants hold their hand out with the thumb and index finger ready to catch a falling ruler.
  2. Drop the ruler without warning and have the participant catch it as quickly as possible.
  3. Record the distance the ruler falls before being caught. Repeat multiple times for accuracy.
  4. Test reaction times under different conditions, such as with distractions (e.g., background noise) and without distractions.
  5. Analyze the data to determine how different conditions affect reaction time.
  6. Present your findings in a report, discussing the factors that influence human reaction time.