Lab #: 3

Date:

Topic: Projectiles

Aim: To investigate projectiles motion with:

a) The final landing point at the horizontal level

Apparatus: Computer, simulation from PhET: Projectile simulation θ

Diagram:

𝑉02 sin 2𝜃 𝑉02 sin2 𝜃

Instructions:

- Go to Google and type in PhET simulations physics.

Click Show Help. On the LHS, you will see a draggable tape measure at the top and a draggable
cannon at the bottom, with a tiltable barrel and a draggable bull’s-eye in front. The meters at the top
give readings of the range, height and time of flight of the projectile. On the RHS, you see a control
panel, which allows you to vary θ and 𝑉0 . The zoom buttons allow you to zoom in or out (We
recommend that the zoom is left at the original level, so that one cm on the screen would mean the
same distance for everyone doing the lab. For this, press the Reload button at the top). The
cannon is sitting on a reddish base, which can be moved up and down, as well as left and right. During
this experiment keep the cannon as far to the left as possible, so that you have maximum space on the
right to play with

A) Horizontal Landing
Keep the cannon base at the ground level. (It cannot go any further down into the ground). At this
stage, the starting point of the projectile i.e. the rear end of the barrel is 1.2 = 0 & y = 0. Thus the
ground is at y = -1.2 m. Verify this by pressing Fire and checking the height meter at the top.

The data given at the top of the screen is for the net projectile path ABCg. However, in this part,
we focus on horizontal landing i.e. on the path ABC of the projectile. Hence, in this part, you will have to
use the tape on the screen to measure the horizontal range R = AC and the maximum height H = BS

Practice Exercise

Choose θ = 40° & 𝑉0 = 15 m/s. Click Fire

a) Using the tape, measure and verify that R = 22.6 m. (The 24 m reading at the top of the screen
is AgCg). Further, verify that H= 4.74 m. (The”-1.2 m” reading at the top of the screen is for
SSg.)
b) Using the chosen θ and 𝑉0 in the given equations. Calculate (correct to 3 significant digits) and
verify your results for R and H.

Exercise 1
Keep θ constant at 74°. For the given values of 𝑉0 measure H

𝑉0 (m/s) 10 12 14 16 18 20
H (m) 4.71 6.78 9.23 12.06 15.26 18.84
𝑉02 (m/s2) 100 144 196 256 324 400

1.1) You want to plot your data suitably, so as to get a straight line. For this, rewrite the equation for
H, to make it look like y = mx + c, as below
 sin2 𝜃
(H) = ( ) ( 𝑉02 ) + (0)
2𝑔

Comparing the above 2 equations:

b. _____H_________ should be plotted along the Y-axis.

c. The slope of the straight line will give _M__________.

d. The Y-intercept of the line will be ____0_______.

1.2) Plot your data so as to get a straight line. Obtain ‘g’ from your graph. Fill in the appropriate
quantity in the table above to do so.

Exercise 2
Keep 𝑉0 constant at 18 m/s. For the given values of θ, measure R.

θ (deg) 17 24 31 38 45 52 59 66 73
R (m) 9.23 12.27 14.58 16.02 16.51 16.02 14.58 12.27 9.23

2.1) Plot R vs. θ

2.2) Give meaningful comments on your graph.

2.3) Suppose you want a straight line, with R going along the Y-axis. What should you place along
the X-axis now? (You need not plot this graph) 𝑉02

2.4) Explain how you will obtain ‘g’ from the supposed graph in 2.3).

__________________The g will be obtained by finding the gradient of the graph and inputting it into a
equation which would result in sin2Ѳ/M.
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 B) Downhill Landing
3.1) Pull the cannon upward so that the origin i.e. the starting point of the projectile is 11.7 m above
the ground. (For this, Click Fire and check that the height of the landing point of the projectile is “-11.7
m”, as shown at the top of the screen). Adjust AgCg to be 32 m. For this, drag the bull’s-eye to the right
extreme. Verify this, using the tape. Choose θ to be 53°. Vary 𝑉0 to hit the bull’s-eye right at the
center. (Verify that the range meter at the top of the screen now reads 32 m) Note on the screen tg, the
time taken for your winning projectile to reach the ground.

Using the values of the height = -11.7 m, θ = 53° & your winning 𝑉0 , calculate tg. Using this tg, calculate
AgCg. Verify that they agree with the computer’s values. Hint: s = ut + ½at2 -11.7 = (𝑉0 sin 53°) t
– 4.9 t2.

tg= 1.3
AgCg= 34.31

3.2) Repeat the above with the bull’s-eye at 22.09 m

Tg=1.06

AgCg= 26.10

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Conclusion:
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