Your body reacts almost instantly to things happening around you? From catching a falling object to stopping yourself from stepping on a bug, your response time plays a huge role in daily life. Scientists and athletes measure response time to understand how quickly the brain and muscles work together. For example, F1 car drivers have incredibly fast response times – sometimes around 0.2 seconds – allowing them to react to sudden changes on the track! Fighter pilots also train to sharpen their reaction speed, since even a split-second delay in the air can make a huge difference!

In this activity, you will explore your own response time and see how fast your brain can tell your muscles to act. You will also get a chance to compare your results with friends and see how different activities might influence how quickly you respond.