Experiment 1
9 September 2013
Projectile Motion Lab
0956029
Lab Station 1
I.
Introduction
The horizontal distance traveled by a projectile with velocity(v) at an angle( θ ) above the horizontal is known as the range.(Weisstein) Range is dependent on the initial velocity of the projectile, the force of gravity, amount of time spent in motion, and the angle at which it is
2
launched. The equation used to calculate is as follows: Range = 2*V o g*sin2Θ . It is derived from the following kinematic equations:
ΔY = 12 * g * (Δt)2 + V OY * (Δt)
ΔX = V OX * Δt
In these kinematic equations, ΔY equals vertical displacement, g equals the force of gravity on
Earth, Δt is change in time from start to finish, V OY equals initial velocity in the vertical direction, ΔX equals horizontal displacement, and V OX equals the initial velocity in the horizontal direction. To calculate the muzzle velocity of the projectile launcher, the following equations can be used for the x direction and the y direction, respectively. V OX = ||||V O|||| * cosθ , and V OY = ||||V O|||| * sinθ
Objectives:
The purpose of this experiment is to find how the range of a projectile varies with angle.
Hypothesis:
If the above equations defining projectile motion are correct, then the angle of maximum range is 45 o .
List of Equipment:
Launcher and plastic ball
Muzzle loader
Plum bob
Meter sticks (3)
Graph paper
Procedure:
1. Lay three meter sticks in a straight line end to end starting from the edge of the launcher. 2. Fire one shot with the launcher at 10o to approximate where the ball will land. Mark this spot with a pen.
3. Fire five shots and record the distance from the base of the launcher to the spot where the ball lands.
4. Repeat steps 13, increasing the angle of the launcher 10o each time, until reaching
80o .
Include 45o .
Diagram:
Figure 3.1 Shooting on a level surface
9 September 2013
Experiment 1
0956029
II.
Data:
10o
20o
30o
40o
45o
50o
60o
70o
80o
Trial 1 141
179
216
236.5
238.5
230.5
200
149.5
79
Trial 2 140.5
178
215.5
236
239
230.5
200.7
149
80
Trial 3 140.5
178.5
215
238
239.5
230.5
199.5
148
80.5
Trial 4 140
179.5
215.5
237.5
240
231
199
148.5
80.5
Trial 5 141.5
180
217
238
239.5
231
199
148.5
79
Avg
ΔX
179
215.8
237.2
239.3
230.7
199.6
148.7
79.8
Angle
140.7
9 September 2013
Experiment 1
0956029
III.
Graph: