1. By Nick and Tim

2. Aim and Hypothesis Our aim is to discover if reaction time varies with age. We believe that reaction times will improve with age.

3. Method To achieve this aim, we chose one class from each grade and tested each student from that class by dropping a 30 centimetre ruler from a centimetre above the students’ outstretched hands. Each student we tested had to catch the ruler as soon as they could. We then recorded the point of the ruler where they caught it. If they caught it quickly they had a low result and if they had a slow reaction the result was higher. If they completely missed the ruler we gave them a score of 31 cm.

4. Results The following slides show the results of our experiment. If the ruler was not caught the student would receive 31 cm. Point of the ruler at which it was caught No. Students Dropped ruler

8. Discussion From the data we noticed that over half of the Preps missed the ruler giving them a result of 31cm. This showed that their reaction times were very slow. Only 3 Grade 1’s had a reaction time of more than 30 and only 1 Grade 2. In the other grades no-one had a reaction time of more than 30.

9. Discussion One student in Grade 7 had the best reaction time with 4cm. The reaction times were closer in the middle grades between the Grades 3’s, 4’s and 5’s. The reaction time improved in Grade 6 and 7.

10. Conclusion Our hypothesis was correct. The Grades 7’s and 6’s had the quickest reaction times. This proves that older students have better reaction times than younger students because the older children have more developed intellectual and physical abilities.