This document describes a projectile motion lab experiment. The objective is to use photogates and software to measure the velocity of a rolling ball, and apply kinematics equations to predict where the ball will land. Students will roll a ball down a ramp through two photogates to measure its velocity. They will use the average velocity to calculate the predicted impact point, and also calculate minimum and maximum impact points based on velocity variations. After marking the predicted points, students will roll the ball off the table and mark the actual impact location to see how closely it matches predictions.
This document describes a projectile motion lab experiment. The objective is to use photogates and software to measure the velocity of a rolling ball, and apply kinematics equations to predict where the ball will land. Students will roll a ball down a ramp through two photogates to measure its velocity. They will use the average velocity to calculate the predicted impact point, and also calculate minimum and maximum impact points based on velocity variations. After marking the predicted points, students will roll the ball off the table and mark the actual impact location to see how closely it matches predictions.
This document describes a projectile motion lab experiment. The objective is to use photogates and software to measure the velocity of a rolling ball, and apply kinematics equations to predict where the ball will land. Students will roll a ball down a ramp through two photogates to measure its velocity. They will use the average velocity to calculate the predicted impact point, and also calculate minimum and maximum impact points based on velocity variations. After marking the predicted points, students will roll the ball off the table and mark the actual impact location to see how closely it matches predictions.
This document describes a projectile motion lab experiment. The objective is to use photogates and software to measure the velocity of a rolling ball, and apply kinematics equations to predict where the ball will land. Students will roll a ball down a ramp through two photogates to measure its velocity. They will use the average velocity to calculate the predicted impact point, and also calculate minimum and maximum impact points based on velocity variations. After marking the predicted points, students will roll the ball off the table and mark the actual impact location to see how closely it matches predictions.
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SECTION I: INTRODUCTION
TITLE: Projectile Motion Lab
OBJECTIVE: Measure the velocity of a ball using two Photogates and computer software for timing. Apply concepts from two-dimensional kinematics to predict the impact point of a ball in projectile motion. Take into account trial-to-trial variations in the velocity measurement when calculating the impact point. EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Computer Vernier computer interface Logger Pro two Vernier photogates ball (1 to 5 cm in diameter) masking tape plumb bob ramp two ring stands two right-angle clamps meter stick or metric measuring tape target PROCEDURE: 1. Set up a low ramp made of angle molding on a table so that a ball can roll down the ramp, across a short section of table, and off the table edge as shown in Figure 1. 2. Position the Photogates so the ball rolls through each of the Photogates while rolling on the horizontal table surface (but not on the ramp). Approximately center the detection line of each Photogate on the middle of the ball. Connect Photogate 1 to DIG/SONIC 1 of the interface and Photogate 2 to the corresponding second port. To prevent accidental movement of the Photogates, use tape to secure the ring stands in place. 3. Mark a starting position on the ramp so that you can repeatedly roll the ball from the same place. Roll the ball down the ramp through each Photogate and off the table. Catch the ball as soon as it leaves the table. Note: Do not let the ball hit the floor during these trials or during the following velocity measurements. Make sure that the ball does not strike the sides of the Photogates. Reposition the Photogates if necessary. 4. Open the file 08 Projectile Motion in the Physics with Vernier folder. A data table and two graphs are displayed; one graph will show the time required for the ball to pass through the Photogates for each trial and the other will display the velocity of the object for each trial. 5. You must enter the distance, s, between Photogates in order for Logger Pro to calculate the velocity. The program will divide this distance by the time interval t it measures to get the velocity (v = s/t). Carefully measure the distance from the beam of Photogate 1 to the beam of Photogate 2. (It may be easier to measure from the leading edge of
Photogate 1 to the leading edge of Photogate 2.) To successfully predict
the impact point, you must enter an accurate measurement. Adjust the gate separation using the control on the Logger Pro screen. 6. Click collect. Check to see that the Photogates are responding properly by moving your finger through Photogate 1 and then Photogate 2. Logger Pro will plot a time interval (t) value for each instance you run your finger through Photogate 1 or Photogate 2. Click stop, then click collect again, to clear the trial data and prepare for data collection. 7. Roll the ball from the mark on the ramp, through both Photogates, and catch the ball immediately after it leaves the table. Repeat nine times. Take care not to bump any of the Photogates, or your velocity data will not be precise. Data collection will stop after two minutes. If you need more time, click collect to restart, choosing Append. After the last trial, click stop to end data collection. Record the velocity for each trial number in the data table. 8. Inspect your velocity data. Did you get the same value every time? Determine the average, maximum, and minimum values by clicking once on the velocity vs. time graph and then clicking the Statistics button. What one value would be most representative of all ten measurements? 9. Carefully measure the distance from the table top to the floor and record it as the table height h in the data table. Use a plumb bob to locate the point on the floor just beneath the point where the ball will leave the table. Mark this point with tape; it will serve as your floor origin. 10. Use your velocity value to calculate the distance from the floor origin to the impact point where the ball will hit the floor. You will need to algebraically combine relationships for motion with constant acceleration. a. x=v t + 12a t b. y= v t + 12a t Simplify the equations above. What is the value of the initial velocity in the vertical direction (voy)? What is the acceleration in the horizontal direction (ax)? What is the acceleration in the vertical direction (ay)? Remember that the time the ball takes to fall is the same as the time the ball flies horizontally. Use this information and the simplified equations to calculate how far the ball should travel horizontally during the fall. Mark your predicted impact point on the floor with tape and position a target at the predicted impact point. Be sure the impact point is along the line of the track. 2
ix
iy
11. To account for the variations you saw in the Photogate velocity measurements, repeat the calculation in Step 10 for the minimum and maximum velocity. These two additional points show the limits of impact range that you might expect, considering the variation in your velocity measurement. Mark these points on the floor as well. 12. After your instructor gives you permission, release the ball from the marked starting point, and let the ball roll off the table and onto the floor. Mark the point of impact with tape. Measure the distance from the floor origin to the actual impact and enter the distance in the data table.
SECTION II: DATA
DATA TABLES: Trial
time
state 1
state 2
Gate 1 to gate 2 time
velocity (m/s)
2.1-2.27
1, 0
1, 0
.1723
.493
4.31-4.49
1, 0
1, 0
.1867
.455
1.8-2.01
1, 0
1, 0
.1697
.501
1.89-2.07
1, 0
1, 0
.1778
.478
2.66-2.83
1, 0
1, 0
.1696
.501
2.54-2.7
1, 0
1, 0
.1814
.469
1.9-2.1
1, 0
1, 0
.1715
.496
4.32-4.49
1, 0
1, 0
.1719
.494
1.8-2.05
1, 0
1, 0
.1804
.471
Maximum Velocity
0.501 m/s
Minimum Velocity
0.455 m/s
Average Velocity
0.484 m/s
Table Height
.951 m
Predicted Impact Point
0.20554 m or 20 cm
Minimum Impact Point Distance
Maximum Impact Point Distance Actual Impact Point Distance
20 cm or .2 m
CALCULATIONS: -xusing average velocity x=v t + 12a t x=(0.478m/s)(0.43s) + 12(0m/s )(0.43s) x=0.205m or 20.5cm -x using minimum velocity x=v t + 12a t x=(0.455m/s)(0.43s) + 12(0m/s )(0.43s) x=0.196m or 19.6cm -x using maximum velocity x=v t + 12a t x=(0.501m/s)(0.43s) + 12(0m/s )(0.43s) 2
ix
ix
ix
x=0.215m or 21.5cm -a using average velocity y= v t + 12a t 0.951m=(0.478m/s)(0.43s) + 12a (0.43s) 0.951m=(0.478m/s)(0.43s) + 12a (0.1849s ) 0.951m=0.20554m + (0.09245s )a 0.74546m=(0.09245s )a 8.05m/s = a RESULTS: In this lab, we took the Vernier program and used it to calculate the time it took for a ball to pass through the gates. With that given information, we were about to figure out the velocity the ball was traveling and in turn, solve for the acceleration. We could ever calculate for the distance the ball traveled with a specified velocity and acceleration. This allowed us to see how these equations work with a real life objective. I think that the procedures could be explained in a better way or differently in general. The procedures were a little difficult to understand and caused a lot of confusion amongst our groups. Errors could occur with misinterpretation of the procedures or small measuring errors when placing the photogates or where to roll the ball. CONCLUSION: By using the Vernier computer interface and our given knowledge, we were able to accomplish our objectives. There werent many problems with this lab, besides confusion with the procedures y
