College of Sciences
Department of Applied Physics and Astronomy
{ Projectile Motion Student Lab report }
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/contributions/view/6536
( https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/projectile-motion/latest/projectile-
motion_en.html)
Student name :- ID:-
Student name :- ID:-
Student name :- ID:-
Student name :- ID:-
Section# :- Group :-
Objectives :-
Part (1):- To determine whether the time-of-flight of an object launched
horizontally (horizontal projectile) varies as the initial velocity is varied.
Part (2):- To verify that the horizontal component of the velocity (vx) of the
projectile is constant during its motion.
Theory :-
Projectile motion is a form of motion where an object moves in a bilaterally
symmetrical, parabolic path. The path that the object follows is called its trajectory.
Projectile motion only occurs when there is one force applied at the beginning on
the trajectory, after which the only interference is from gravity.
Projectile motion (Oblique projectile) equations along the x-axis:-
vx = v0x = v0 cos(θ)
x=v0x t
Projectile motion (Oblique projectile) equations along the y-axis:-
v0y = v0 sin(θ)
vfy= voy + gt
1 2
y= y0 + v0yt + 2 g t
vfy2 = v0y2 +2g(y-y0)
1
y= y0 + 2 (v0y + vfy)t
Projectile motion (horizontal projectile) equations along the x-axis:-
vx = v0x
x= vx t
Projectile motion (horizontal projectile) equations along the y-axis:-
vfy= gt
1 2
y= y0 + 2 g t
vfy2 = 2g(y-y0)
To find the horizontal range :-
2
vo
R= sin 2 θ
g
Part (1) :-
Objective :- To determine whether the time-of-flight of an object launched
horizontally (horizontal projectile) varies as the initial velocity is varied.
Theory :-
The horizontal projectile’s initial vertical velocity =0 ,
1 2
y= yo+ vot+ g t
2
1 2
y=0+0+ g t
2
t=
√ 2y
g
Apparatus :- (
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/projectile-motion/latest/projectile-
motion_en.html )
Procedure :-
1. Open the experiment link ( https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/projectile-
motion/latest/projectile-motion_en.html)
2. Chose the ( Lab ) option .
3. Set the height at 15 m .
4. Set the angle at 0 degree .
5. Leave the rest of variables as is .
6. Start the first measurement with 2 m/s as the initial velocity.
7. Fire the ball and measure the time of flight T where the ball hits the ground.
8. Repeat the steps four times according to Table 1 for different velocities .
9. Write your data in Table 1
Table (1)
Velocity V (m/s) Time of flight T (s)
10
Calculate the average time-of-flight ?
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What does the time-of-flight depend on ?
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If the ball was dropped under influence gravity only (Free Fall), what is the time-
of-flight ?
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Part (2) :-
Objective :- To verify that the horizontal component of the velocity (vx) of the
projectile is constant during its motion.
Theory :-
Projectile motion (Oblique projectile) equations along the x-axis:-
vx = v0x = v0 cos(θ)
x=v0x t
Projectile motion (Oblique projectile) equations along the y-axis:-
v0y = v0 sin(θ)
vfy= voy + gt
1 2
y= y0 + v0yt + 2 g t
vfy2 = v0y2 +2g(y-y0)
1
y= y0 + 2 (v0y + vfy)t
Apparatus :- (
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/projectile-motion/latest/projectile-
motion_en.html)
Procedure :-
1. Open the experiment link ( https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/projectile-
motion/latest/projectile-motion_en.html)
2. Fix the height to zero
3. Set θ = 35 degree
4. Adjust the initial height to v0 = 25m/s ( or any desired value)
5. Keep all the value the same during the whole experiment as shown below
6. Measure the horizontal distance X for each time-of-flight and fill your
results in table (2)
Table (2)
Horizontal distance X Horizontal velocity of
Time of flight T (s)
(m) the projectile (m/s)
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
Discuss your results, what do you deduce ?
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Why is the horizontal velocity of a projectile constant?
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Calculate the range in meters ?
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Questions :-
1. At the highest point in the projectiles path which one of the following statements
are right ? ( chose one answer or more )
a) Acceleration = 0
b) The x component for acceleration = 0
c) The y component for acceleration = 0
d) Velocity = 0
e) The x component for velocity = 0
f) The y component for velocity = 0
Answer :-
…………………………………………………………………………..
2. A ball was thrown horizontally with a velocity = 20 m/s , from a building with a
height = 60 m , what’s the time-of-flight when the ball reaches the ground ?
…………………………………………………………………………..
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3. The y- component of velocity increases/ stays the same/ decreases as the
horizontal projectile travels?
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Conclusion :-
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