SUNY Korea, Spring 2013

PHY131-133 Report
Lab 2:Projectile Motion
Lindamulage Udara Silva
Prof.Vladmir Skvortsov
Departament of Technology and Society
Date:2013/06/13

Abstract
Lab 3, experimentation is performed to study the characteristics of
projectile motion. We launched a ball with a projectile launcher with
different initial velocities and angles, and when the ball passes the
photo-gate and lands on the impulse sensor pad, it records the time
spend for the motion from the beginning to end. And we measured the
horizontal distance by using a flexible meter. From the records which
we calculated during the experiment, we analyzed that the factors of
projectile motion is affected in a large degree by the angle.

Contents
1 Introduction

2 Experimental procedure

3 Results

4 Discussion and Conclusion

5 Raw Data

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Introduction

The goal of Lab3 is to observe the relationship among horizontal range, angle, and initial velocity when an object is functioning projectile motion. In
order to get accurate results, we observer and compare the time of the flight
for projectiles shot horizontally at different muzzle velocities.
Bellow apparatus were used for the experiment.
Apparatus
1. Projectile launcher
2. Photo-gates and mounting bracket
3. Photo-gate timer
4. Steel ball
5. Impulse sensor pad
6. Carbon paper
7. Flexible meter

Experimental procedure

Lab3 was performed in two main parts: Measurement of Muzzle Velocity

and Projectile Motion (angle versus range measurement).

2.1

Measurement of Muzzle Velocity (v0 )

1. Clamp the projectile launcher with photo-gate and mounting bracket

to the corner of the table.
2. Adjust the projectile launcher to make it horizontal to the ground
(angle of the launcher is 0 ) as shown in Figure 1. Connect the first
and second photo-gate cables to Channel-A and Channel-B ports of
the photo-gate timer respectively, measure the distance (d) between
the photo-gates. Set the photo-gate timer to Pulse mode (Figure 2).

3. Load the ball into the launcher using the loading push bar until the
1st click is heard.
4. Holding a piece of cardboard a few centimeters past the 2nd photogate to block the ball, pull the launch cord on the launcher. Record
the time of the move at photo-gate timer (Figure 2).
5. Repeat five times the steps 3 - 4 above.
6. Determine the muzzle (initial) velocity by dividing (d) moving distance
by the travel time.
7. Repeat the items 3 - 6 above for 2nd and 3rd clicks.

2.2

Projectile Motion (angle versus range measurement)

1. The measurement setup is shown in Figure 1. Connect the first photogate sensor to the Channel-A port of the photo-gate timer, and connect
the Impulse Sensor Pad to Channel-B.
2. Load the ball into the launcher using the loading push bar until the
1st click is heard, set launcher angle to 25 .
3. Place the Impulse Sensor Pad to the floor in front of the projectile
launcher at a distance equal to the estimated range. Place carbon
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paper over the target. Align the projectile launcher. After pulling
the launch cord on the launcher, check the drop position. Remove the
carbon paper. Observe the locations where the ball struck the target,
measure the distance using the tape.
4. Record the distance and time from the photo-gate timer and put into
measurement section of the Table 2.
5. Repeat the steps 3 - 4 above for the Clicks 2 and 3.
6. Repeat the steps 3 - 5 above for launcher angles from 25 to 65 with
10 increment.
7. Measure (v0 ) height of the launcher. Compare whether there is a
difference between the theoretical and experimental values of D and
T.

2.3

Theory

Since there is no force in the x-direction, there is no change in speed, and

motion in y-direction is happen under acceleration of gravity g.
Projectile motion is always confined to a vertical plane determined by the
direction of the initial velocity. Thus, we can all the vector relationships for
the projectiles position, velocity, and acceleration by separate equations for
the horizontal and vertical components, e. g. the components of velocity
vector are:
vx = v0 x = v0 cos
(1)
vy = v0 y gt = v0 sin gt

(2)

Thus the position of the object in an arbitrary time t seconds, can be obtained by integrating the equations above.

x(t) = x0 + (v0 cos)t

y(t) = y0 + (v0 sin)t 21 gt2
or finally (x0 = 0)
x(t) = (v0 cos)t

(3)

1
(4)
y(t) = y0 + (v0 sin)t gt2
2
We can derive an equation for the trajectorys shape in terms of x and y by
eliminating t. From Eqs. (3) and (4), we find t = x/(v0 cos) and
y(x) = y0 + (tan)x

x
2v02 cos2

(5)

This is the equation of a parabola. In our simple model of projectile motion,

the trajectory is always a parabola.
Equation of parabolic trajectory to associate with x a y, this expression.
Horizontal range is calculated from (3) and (4) when y = 0, and travel time
is found by solving quadratic equation of (4) about t
t1 = (v0sin

t2 = (v0 sin

v02 sin2 + 2gy0 )/g

(6)

v02 sin2 + 2gy0 )/g

(7)

then taking into account the travel time t2 = T in Equation (7), the nal
horizontal distance (D) is

D = v0 cos

v0 sin +

v02 sin2 + 2gy0

(8)

On the other hand, H the height of the peak point because of vy = 0, and
it is given as follows
v 2 sin2
H = y0 + 0
(9)
2g

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3.1

Results
Raw Data Attachment

A Data Sheet 1
Distance of between two photo-gates (d)=10 (cm)=0.1m
Table 1 : Data sheet for Muzzle Velocity experiment

B Data Sheet 2
Initial height of ball (y0 ) = 26.3(cm) = 0.263(m)
B.1 Click 1
Muzzle Velocity of Click 1 (v0 ) = 2.1929 (m/s)
Table 2 : Data sheet for horizontal range experiment

B.2 Click 2
Muzzle Velocity of Click 2 (v0 ) = 3.6153 (m/s)
Table 3 : Data sheet for horizontal range experiment

B.3 Click 3
Muzzle Velocity of Click 3 (v0 ) = 4.9800 (m/s)
Table 4 : Data sheet for horizontal range experiment

Discussion and Conclusion

Questions
1. Sketch the trajectory of your projectile when it was shot at an angle of
25 . Draw 5 horizontal velocity vectors at different locations on your
sketch. Make sure the lengths of the vectors represent the relative
magnitudes of the velocities. In other words, low velocities should be
represented by short arrows and long arrows should represent large
velocities.

2. Draw 5 vertical velocity vectors at the same points on your sketch.

Make sure the lengths of the vectors represent the relative magnitudes
of the velocities.

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3. Which variable(s) affect the horizontal range?

According to the equation x = xo + vo t, initial velocity (V0 ) and flight
time cause the longest horizontal range.
4. Which variable(s) affect the time of ight?
According to the equation y = yo + vyo t 21 gt2 , gravity, initial vertical
velocity and initial vertical position affect the time of flight.
5. Build your Angle vs. Range graph. What angle corresponds to the
maximum range? Explain why this particular angle produces the maximum range. What angle corresponds to the maximum height?

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According to the graph generated by the computer, it seems that the

object has been launched far, when the shooting launcher was adjusted
for the angle of 35 And it is the certain angle that provides the greatest horizontal distance, because of its flight time and the horizontal
speed are fairly balanced. For example, when the ball at 25 has been
launched, it showed the fastest horizontal velocity. Thus, the flight
time of the object was not enough to reach the farthest horizontal distance. Contrast, when the ball was shot at 55 , even though it had a
more flight time than 25 s and 35 s, however the projectile had the
slowest velocity (horizontal velocity) among all other angles. According to these results, the fact can be can be concluded that, when the
total time and the horizontal velocity reaches its highest, the projectile shows a longest horizontal distance, which is strongly depend on
the angle.

Conclusion
We conducted this projectile motion lab, performing several studies
on any given conditions. In this lab, we were able to analyze the
factors of the projectile motion. If the object moves in a horizontal
movement, the horizontal velocity remains constant constant direction
due to zero acceleration (we consider air resistance is neglect able). On
the other hand, the vertical velocity is influenced by the gravitational
force, which is directed toward the center of the earth. In addition,
the horizontal distance of moving object depends on the initial velocity
and the total time it spent on the projectile. As time is decided by
the force of gravity, initial vertical position and the launched vertical
velocity. However, except gravity, most of the factors are controlled
by the angle of the launcher. In this practical 35 creates the larger
distance. In conclusion, we can say that no matter the size of the angle,
projectile motion mainly depends on the angle and some specific angles
create the longest distance regardless its value.

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