Experiment 6 Bulls Eye

Name ____________________
Name ____________________
Per. _____ Date ______ ___



Materials

Ramp Meter stick Computer
Projectile Plumb line Logger pro
Landing zone (cup) 2 photogates

Prelab

Imagine a universe without gravity. In this universe, if you tossed a rock where there was no air, it
would just keep goingforever. Because the rock would be going at a constant speed, it would cover the
same amount of distance in each second (Fig A). The equation for distance traveled when motion is
uniform is

X=v
x
t

The equation for speed would be


x
v
x
= t

Coming back to earth, what happens when you drop a rock? It falls to the
ground and the distance it covers in each second increases (Fig B). Gravity
is constantly increasing its speed. The equation of the vertical distance
fallen after any time t is


y = 1/2gt
2


where g is the acceleration due to gravity.
The falling speed v after time t is


V
y
=gt
What happens when you toss the rock sideways (Fig C)? The curved motion that results can be described
as the combination of two straight-line motions; one vertical and the other horizontal. The vertical
Purpose

To investigate the independence of horizontal and
vertical components of motion.

To predict the landing point of a projectile
FIG C

FIG A
FIG B
motion undergoes the acceleration due to gravity, while the horizontal motion does not. The secret to
analyzing projectile motion is to keep two separate sets of books: one that treats the horizontal motion
according to

x=v
x
t

and the other that treats the vertical motion according to

y = 1/2gt
2


Horizontal Motion
-When thinking about how far (distance in the x axis), think about x=vt
-When thinking about haw fast, think about v=x/t

Vertical motion
-When thinking about how far (distance in the y axis), think about y=(1/2)gt
2

-When thinking about how fast, think about v=gt

Your goal in this experiment is to predict where a steel ball will land when released from a certain height
on an incline. The final test of you measurements and computations will be to position an empty can so
that the ball lands in the can the first time!


Prelab Questions
1. What two pieces of information will you need to calculate the projectiles horizontal component
velocity?

2. What kind of motion is the vertical component of projectile motion most like?

Procedure
1. Your ramp assembly should look similar to the ramp pictured, but further
back from the edge of the table. Measure the distance between the two
eyes of the photo-gates (in meters) and record it in data table 1.

The computers will be logged on and ready to go. Be sure to not close the
Logger pro window after collecting data. Between each time trial you
must reset the data collection by pressing the data tab on the top menu
and selecting clear all data. Be sure to clear all your data at the end of
your time trials.


2. Push the collect button on your machine. Set the ball down the ramp from the same height each time,
and collect the time it takes the ball to travel the measured distance between the two photo-gates.
***DONOTLET THE BALL HIT THE FLOOR. One lab partner must catch ***
***the ball the moment it leaves the table.***
Collect at least 7 times for this experiment and record them in the appropriate column in data table 1.


3. Calculate the average horizontal velocity (v)of your projectile by first determining the velocities of the
ball for each time trial. Then average the velocities and record the average horizontal velocity in the
appropriate space.

4. Using the plumb line and a string measure the vertical distance (y) the ball must fall from the top lip of
the table to the floor. Record this distance in the appropriate space.

Analysis Question 1: Should the height of the can be taken into account when measuring the vertical
distance y? If so make your measurements accordingly.

5. Using the appropriate equation from the discussion (you will need to rework the vertical How far
equation), find the time (t) it takes the ball to fall from the top of the table and land on the floor. Write
both the equation you used and the height in the appropriate spaces.

6. The range is the horizontal distance of travel for the projectile. Predict the range of the ball (you will
need to use the How far equation for horizontal motion). Record both the equation you used for
horizontal range and predicted range in the appropriate space.

7. Retrieve a cup from your instructor and place the cup so that its center is at the distance you
predicted the ball would travel.

8. Try to mark as accurately as possible the actual range of your projectile. Record this in the
appropriate space.

Analysis Question 2: Compare the actual range of the ball with your predicted range. Compute the
percentage error for your calculation. (take the absolute value of exp minus calculated over the
calculated times 100)

Analysis Question 3: What may cause the ball to miss the target?

Analysis Question 4: You probably noticed that the range of the ball increased in direct proportion to
the speed at which it left the ramp. The speed depends on the release point of the ball on the ramp. What
role do you think air resistance had in this experiment?


Going Further

Extra Credit: If time allows!

Suppose you dont know the firing speed of the projectile. If you go ahead and fire it and then measure
its range rather than predicting it, you can work backward and calculate the projectiles initial speed.
This is a good way to calculate speeds in general! Do this for one or two fired balls using the projectile
launcher

Lab Write Up


Bulls Eye Experiment 6
calculating the range of aprojectile
DATA SHEET








DATA
TABLE 1









work





Vertical Distance y =______________

Equation to solve for t ___________________

Calculated value of t ____________________

Predicted range equation _________________

Predicted Range x _________________________

Actual Range x _________________________

Analysis

1. Should the height of the can be taken into account when measuring the vertical distance y? If so make
your measurements accordingly.




TRIAL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Distance
Time
Velocity d/t

Average Horizontal
velocity v

Name _________________________

Name _________________________

Period _______ Date ___________
Prelab Questions
1.




2.




2. Compare the actual range of the ball with your predicted range. Compute the percentage error for your
calculation. (take the absolute value of exp minus calculated over the calculated times 100).





3. What may cause the ball to miss the target?







4. You probably noticed that the range of the ball increased in direct proportion to the speed at which it
left the ramp. The speed depends on the release point of the ball on the ramp. What role do you think
air resistance had in this experiment?







Lab Journal Instructions

Some lab reports will be done on the computer. However, most will need to be written up. Each report
should include the following:


TITLE

Period Your Name
Date Partners Name

Purpose: One or two sentences, usually given right on the lab sheet.

Procedure: BRIEF description of steps taken to complete the lab, summarize!

Data Table: All values measured during the experiment, with units.

Calculations: Show each formula and a SAMPLE calculation. Show answers or results in a table. This is
the section where you would add any GRAPHS if needed.

Analysis: Write only answers, no need to copy questions. Number them and answer in COMPLETE
SENTENCES.

Conclusion(s): (The conclusion follows from the purpose. Use complete sentences. This is the MOST
IMPORTANT part of the lab!!. Answer the question What was I supposed to learn from this lab?)