LAB PARTNERS: SIKANDAR KHAN, RUANAK BHANDARI, STEPHEN BARTYCZAK

(FALL 2015) PHY 231- (0A8N)

PROJECTILE MOTION
LAB REPORT
CARLENE TOA

OBJECTIVE/PURPOSE
The purpose of this lab is to investigate the properties of projectile motion. The
initial velocity of a ball projected horizontally and also at an angle of

20

can be

calculated from the acquired measurements of horizontal distances from the base of
the projectile launcher. To do that we use the equations of the theory of motion with
constant acceleration, that is, gravity.
THEORY
The position of a particle as a function of time (that is, with constant acceleration, a)
is given the vector equation:

1 2
s =
s o+
v o t+ a t
2
This equation can be separated into its x, y and z components. We neglect air
resistance and acceleration in the y direction is g, i.e., gravity. Because the motion
to be covered is in a plane so we will just focus on the x and y components. The
acceleration in the x direction is zero, so the x and y components of the above
equation:

x=x o +v ox t
1 2
y= y o + v oy t g t
2
The x and y components of the initial velocity,

v ox =v o cos

and

v o , in terms of the angle,

,:

v oy =v o sin

When the ball hits the floor, the x position is known as R (the range); the y position
is 0. If we rewrite y as a function of x is:
2

y=0=h

gR
2 v 2o , with h, or y, being the height (that is, the height of the launcher).

Thus, relating R, to initial velocity and acceleration in the y direction:

v o =R

g
2 h , this is true in the case when

=0

In the cases where

0o ;

cos

cos

2 v 2o
v
v sin
g
g
y= y o + oy x 2 x 2=h+ o
x

v ox
v o cos
2 v ox

The range R is the value of x when y = 0; substituting this gives:

cos

2
2
2 vo
h+ R tanR

sin

2 hg
( 2+ 2 )
v0
sin
v 2o cos
R=

g
EQUIPMENT
Projectile launcher/Spring Gun
Ball
8x11 piece of paper
8x11 piece of carbon paper
Measuring Tape
Sticky tape

EXPERIMENT

We will be using a projectile launcher to launch a ball first horizontally, then at an

angle of

20

from the horizontal. We then measure the range, R, and average the
o

20

ranges for both the horizontal and the angle of

PROCEDURE
PART A: Launching a Projectile Horizontally
1)
2)
3)
4)

Position the projectile launcher so that the ball is launched horizontally.

Measure and record the height where the ball leaves the launcher
Push the ball back until you hear 3 clicks so that its secure.
Make a test shot to determine where the ball lands. Place a piece of paper
where the ball landed and tape it down. Place a carbon paper on top of the
white paper and also tape it down so that when the ball falls on the carbon
paper, it will leave a mark on the white paper below.
5) Fire the ball 6 times and record the distance traveled by the ball. You can
remove the tape to number the spots on the paper so as to not lost track of
your measurements
6) Determine the average traveled by ball.
PART B: Initial Velocity Calculation
7) Calculate the initial velocity of the ball using the table with the known
information by solving the kinematics equations.
PART C: Launching a Projectile at an Angle
8) Change the angle of the launcher to

20

RESULTS/PRESENTATION
PART A: Launching a Projectile Horizontally
Height of launcher: 0.26 m
Horizontal
Distance (m)
1.51 m
1.57 m
1.60 m
1.59 m

then repeat steps 3) to 6)

1.52 m
1.60 m

Average Distance traveled by ball:

(1.51+1.57+1.60+1.59+1.52+1.60)
6

= 1.565 m

PART B: Initial Velocity Calculation

X
1.51

Y
0.26 m

1.57

0.26 m

1.60

0.26 m

1.59

0.26 m

1.52

0.26 m

1.60

0.26 m

m
m
m
m
m
m
Calculate the initial velocity of the ball in Part A by solving the kinematics
equations.
Since

0o

(initial velocity is horizontal), we use the equations,

x=v o t

1 2
y= g t
2
vo =

x
t , where

t=

2y
g

with x is the horizontal range (the average of the 6

measurements), y is the height of launcher and g is the acceleration of gravity.

Thus

vo=

(1.565)
x
=
=6.797 m/ s
2y
(2)(0.26)
g
(9.81)

PART C: Launching a Projectile at an Angle

and

Height of launcher: 0.26 m

Horizontal
Distance (m)
3.53 m
3.55 m
3.37 m
3.34 m
3.31 m
3.32 m

Average Distance traveled by ball:

(3.53+3.55+3.37+3.34 +3.31+3.32)
6

= 3.405 m

QUESTIONS
1) The velocity of the ball out of the launcher does not change with the angle.
Calculate how far the ball should travel in part C based on the initial velocity and
angle. SHOW YOUR WORK. Determine the % error of your measured value.
We are required to find R, the distance traveled in the x direction:

v2o sin 2 (6.797)2 sin 40o

R=
=
=3.027 m
g
9.81
3.4053.027
100=11.10 , percent error
3.405

2) If the velocity is increased in Part A, will the ball reach the ground in a time greater
than, equal to, or less than the time you calculated? Explain your answer with no
calculations.
Time doesnt depend on initial velocity,
due to gravity,

t=

2y
g

v o , but on height,

h y , and acceleration

g . So, when the height changes, so does the time. As we can see:

, y is the height of launcher and g is the acceleration of gravity, initial

velocity is not in the equation thus it cannot affect time.

So if velocity was increased in Part A, the ball will reach the ground at a time equal
to the time calculated. This is because g, acceleration due to gravity is always
constant in the y direction and because the ball is launched horizontally, the only
thing affecting time will be the height at which the ball is launched.

3) If Part C were performed on the moon (g = 1.6 m/s 2), calculate how far the ball
would go.

To calculate R, we have to first calculate the initial velocity with the change in the value of
g.

(1.565)
x
=
=3 . 472m/ s
2y
(2)(0.26)
g
(1.6)

vo =

Then calculate R, the range, or the horizontal distance traveled by the ball.

R=

v2o sin 2 (3.472)2 sin 40 o

=
=4.843 m
g
1.6

4)

t=

Look at the trajectories below.

Which trajectory spends the most time in air? Explain.

2y
g

, y is the height of launcher and g is the acceleration of gravity

The time in which all the trajectories will spend in the air will be the same. This is because
the time depends on the height at which the ball is launched and also acceleration due to
gravity. In this case, they are both constant in all trajectories so the time would be the
same.
And if we rewrite R as a function of time, we get:

[]

x
sin 2
v sin 2
t
R=
=
=
g
g
2
o

[ ]

x
sin 2
2y
g
x sin 2
=
g
2y
g
g

R (g )

2y
=x sin 2
g

t=

2 y x sin 2
=
g
R ( g)

5) A plane flying horizontally with a constant velocity drops a package and the
package begins to fall to the earth without air resistance. When the package lands
on the ground, will it be behind the plane, directly below the plane, or in front of
the plane. Explain.
The situation here is not unlike the one above. The plane represents the x component of
the velocity and the package represents the y component of the velocity. As the package
falls, it undergoes a change in vertical acceleration to match that of gravity. Because
there is a lack of forces acting in the horizontal direction, the package undergoes
parabolic motion and lands directly under the plane when it lands on the ground.
We can use Newtons First Law, an object in motion will continue to stay in motion.