Name __________________ Projectile Lab Simulation

Go to http://phet.colorado.edu/simulations/sims.php?sim=Projectile_Motion Clic on Run Now

!pen the Projectile Motion simulation. Pla" around #ith the $arious thin%s "ou can chan%e. & tape measure
is present to help "ou measure hei%hts and distances. 'se the simulation to test "our ideas about the thin%s
that a((ect the landing spot o( a projectile. )elo# is a complete list o( thin%s that "ou can chan%e and thin%s
that can be measured b" the simulation. Ne*t to each item+ describe it ,(or both thin%s "ou can chan%e and
thin%s "ou can measure- and ho# it a((ects the motion o( the projectile ,just (or thin%s "ou can chan%e-.
Name of variable that
you can change
Describe the variable
Effect of the variable on the motion
of the projectile
."pe o( !bject
/nitial $elocit"
&n%le o( Cannon
Mass
0iameter
&ir 1esistance
2ei%ht o( the cannon
2ei%ht o( tar%et
Name of quantity
measured by the sim
Describe what the measurement is
1an%e
2ei%ht
.ime
3. Pla" around #ith the an%le o( the launch.
a. 4hat an%le "ields the hi%hest hei%ht #hen all other thin%s are held constant? 5*plain
b. 4hat an%le "ields the lar%est ran%e #hen all other thin%s are held constant? 5*plain
c. &re there an" an%les that "ield the same ran%e #hen all other thin%s are held constant? /( so+
#hat are the"?
6. Launch an object (rom the cannon #ith the air resistance turned o(( so that its entire path is $isible on the
screen. 7ill in the table belo#. 8ou ma" ha$e to use the tape measure to (ind some $alues on the table.
Variable Value (include units) easurement Value (include units)
!bject
1an%e
/nitial $elocit"
7inal 2ei%ht o(
Projectile
&n%le o( Cannon
.ime
Mass
Ma* 2ei%ht o( projectile
abo$e %re" baseline
2ei%ht o( the cannon
9. No# repeat that same launch #ith the air resistance turned on. 7ill in the table belo#. 8ou ma" ha$e to
use the tape measure to (ind some $alues on the table.
Variable Value (include units) easurement Value (include units)
!bject
1an%e
/nitial $elocit"
7inal 2ei%ht o(
projectile
&n%le o( Cannon
.ime
Mass
Ma* 2ei%ht o( projectile
abo$e %re" baseline
2ei%ht o( the cannon
:. 4hat $alues chan%ed bet#een step 6 and step 9? 4h"?
;. No# use the same launch #ith the air resistance turned on and use that to determine #hich $ariables ha$e
an e((ect on the projectile !NL8 #hen the air resistance is turned on. 5*plain "our results belo#.
<. Suppose "our (riend ass "ou to tell them about projectiles. 8ou start to e*plain+ but he interrupts.
=4ait+> he sa"s+ =8ou?re usin% a lot o( #ords / don?t understand. Can "ou e*plain in 5n%lish?> @no#in%
that a picture is #orth a thousand #ords+ dra# a picture o( a projectile path and label all the e" terms+
includin% an" necessar" e*planations. Do this on your own sheet of paper!