What is your reaction time? The following simple method can be employed to determine reaction time. A partner holds a meter stick by pinching it at the top and letting it hang vertically. To measure your reaction time, place your thumb and fore finger just below the base of the meter stick, ready to pinch it when it falls. Without signaling, your partner releases the meter stick; it accelerates due to gravity at a rate of 9.8 m/s², and you grab it as fast as possible. 

(a) If your thumb pinches the meter stick at the 45-cm mark, what was your reaction time? Using a similar calculation, one can calibrate a €œGrab-it Gauge€ such as that shown in Figure P3.83. 

(b) Calculate the distance to draw each line from the bottom starting point for reaction times of 0.14, 0.16, 0.18, 0.20, and 0.22 s.

Figure P3.83

0.22 s 0.20- 0.18- 0.16- 0.14- Starting position for contestant 0.00-