PHYSICS 111 Experiment #6 Projectile Motion
Name: Grade:
Instructor: Partners:
Date Performed: Comments:
Date Submitted:
Objective:
To predict and verify distance and velocity relationships for a projectile launched at an angle.
Required Equipment:
Computer and Pasco 850 Interface Box PASCO
Projectile Launcher with 2 Photogates
Carbon/paper set
Projectile (Yellow plastic ball)
Table Clamp
Plumb bob
Meter Stick
Metric tape measure
Ruler
Safety Glasses**
**Note: Wear Safety Glasses during this experiment!
Procedure: Computer
Setup:
Physically plug the photogate closest to the launcher into digital input 1 and the second photogate into input 2.
Plug the Time-of-Flight pad into input 3. Once in the Capstone software, click Hardware Setup on the left side
toolbar. For both channels 1 and 2, choose Photogate and for channel 3 select Time of Flight Accessory.
Click Timer Setup and hit Next till Finish then click Finish. Click Data Summary and click Time of Flight
and click the Gear Icon to the right. Open Numerical Format and change the Number of Decimals to 3
and click OK. Click Data Summary to close toolbar. Click Two Large Digits, and set them up to measure
Velocity and Time of Flight.
Equipment Setup:
1. Set up the Projectile Launcher with two photogates attached on the mounting bracket. Be sure
the mounting bracket is positioned so that the photogates are clear of the end of the launcher.
(Note: The photogates are spaced 10cm apart on the mounting bracket.) Adjust the launcher to
the angle assigned to your group by the instructor (an angle between 30 and 60 degrees).
Clamp the launcher to the edge of the lab table so that it is aimed at an open floor space.
2. Plug the two photogates into Digital Channels 1 and 2 of the Interface Box. Load a yellow
plastic ball into the launcher using the black loading tube. Be sure to push the ball all the way
into the launcher, supporting the back end of the launcher with your other hand. When ready to
fire, click on the computer’s RECORD button, then pull the yellow launching thread to fire the
projectile. After the projectile has landed, click STOP.
Experiment #6 Projectile Motion - page 2
Procedure (continued)
Part A: Determining the initial velocity of the projectile
1. Load and shoot the ball 5 times and hand-record the data from the “Velocity” digit for
each trial.
2. With the 5 trials from step 1, calculate the average velocity between the 2 photogates.
Part B: Predicting the range of the projectile
1. Use the plumb bob to find the point on the floor directly below the “Launch Position of Ball” or
use the center of the wing nut on the opposite side). Mark the point on a piece of masking tape on the
floor. Record the height of the launcher by measuring from the floor to the cross marked on the
launcher as “launch position of ball.”
2. Using the equations for projectile motion, calculate the theoretical time of flight. Use the measured
height of launch, the initial magnitude of velocity, and the angle of launch used by your group.
3. Using the theoretical time of flight and the formulas of projectile motion, calculate the theoretical
range.
4. Measure out your theoretical range and place the middle of the Time-of-Flight pad there. Launch
the projectile a few times as trials to verify the pad’s position. Once set, put a piece of tape on the
floor marking the front of the pad. Remeasure and record the distance from the launch position and
the front of the pad.
5. To record the landing location, place a piece of paper and carbon paper together on the pad where
projectile will land. Tape the paper to the front end of the pad (but not the carbon paper so it can be
reused).
6. Fire 5 shots onto the carbon paper on the pad. Record the time of flight for each shot by setting
the second large digit to measure Time of Flight. Once all shots are fired, measure the distance to
each dot from the front edge of the paper. Add these distances to the distance measured in step 4.
Find the average of the 5 trials to obtain the experimental range.
Calculations:
1. Draw a diagram indicating all measured and calculated quantities.
2. Get the data from the other groups who used different angles. Explain the differences in
height and distance for the various launch angles.
Questions:
1. Explain the differences between your theoretical and experimental distances.
2. Discuss what you learned from this experiment.
