PROJECTILE MOTION

Projectile Motion: It is the motion of a body in two-dimensions under

constant acceleration due to gravity.
In a projectile motion, the projectile is launched at an angle with the
horizontal with some initial velocity vi. The y-component of the velocity
will be vi sin θ and the x-component will be vi cos θ. If we neglect the air
resistance, then the x-component remains the same throughout the
motion of the projectile. Thus, vf is given as:
v f x = vi cos 

The y-component of the velocity is under constant acceleration towards

the ground with gravitational acceleration g. At any instant t, the
y-component of the final velocity will be given as:
v f y = vi sin  − gt

Height of the projectile:

The maximum height of the projectile is derived as follows:

2aS = v f − vi
2 2

Where S is the vertical height h, vi = vi sin θ, vf=0 and a= -g,

− 2 gh = −( vi sin  ) 2

2 gh = ( vi sin  ) 2

vi sin 2 
2
h=
2g
Time of Flight:
The time of flight of the projectile motion will be derived as follows:
Time t depends only on the vertical components. If we take upward
motion as positive then, vi=vi sin θ, a = -g. As the projectile returns back
to the ground, the vertical displacement is zero i.e S= h = 0. By second
equation of motion:
1
S = vi t + at 2
2
1 2
0 = vi sin  − gt
2
2vi sin 
t=
g

Range of the Projectile:

Range is the total horizontal distance covered by the projectile. It is
derived as follows:
Let R be the horizontal range. As vix is not changing then, in time t, the
range will be given as:

R = vixt
Putting the equation of t and vix=vi cos θ
2
v
R = i sin 2
g

Example
A football kicked by a soccer player is an example of a projectile motion.
Similarly, a ball hit by a batsman moves in the projectile path.
Ballistic missiles are another application of projectile motion. The
ballistic missiles are given an initial push at an angle and are then made

to fall under their own weight and aerodynamics.

Mini Launcher:
Mini Launcher is an Applied Physics Lab tool that is used to simulate
projectile motion in the lab and to study its different elements. In this
simple machine, a small, heavy metal ball is launched with the help of a
spring system. The ball follows the projectile trajectory in the absence of
air resistance.
Photo gate:

Photo gate is an attachment of the mini launcher that is attached at the

shooting end. It has two “gates” that are usually 10 cm apart. The
machine uses photo sensors to determine the time taken by the ball to
pass through the two gates. It then digitally displays either the speed of
the ball or the time.

EXPERIMENTS

Abstract:
This experiment was performed to familiarize us with the applications of
projectile motion and to study the projectile motion practically. The
experiments were performed to calculate time of flight as well as the
initial velocity of the ball. We used the photo gate to help us compare
the theoretically predicted range values and the actual lab
measurements. At the end, we saw how the change in angle θ affects
the range R of the projectile and plotted a graph of range as a function
of angle θ. Two types of experiments were performed: Firstly, when the
ball returns to the same level as the level it was launched from (on the
table). Secondly, when the ball was made to return to a lower height
than that from at which it was launched (off the table).
Theory:
Let Yo be the initial height from which the projectile is launched with
initial velocity vi at an angle of θ with respect to the horizontal. The
projectile reaches a maximum height of Y and returns to the surface in
time t. By the second equation of motion under constant acceleration
a=-g:
𝟏
𝒀 = 𝒀𝒐 + 𝒗𝒊 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝜽 − 𝒈𝒕𝟐
𝟐
As the ball returns back on the table or the ground, the vertical height
will be Y=0. We then get t as:
𝟏 𝟐
𝒈𝒕 = 𝒀𝒐 + 𝒗𝒊 𝒕 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝜽
𝟐

𝟐(𝒀𝒐 + 𝒗𝒊 𝒕 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝜽)
𝒕=√
𝒈
𝒙
Putting vi t=
𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜽

𝟐(𝒀𝒐 + 𝒙 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝜽)
𝒕= √
𝒈

We can then calculate initial velocity vi and theoretical range R.

𝒙
𝒗=
𝒕
𝑹 = 𝒗𝒊 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝜽 × 𝒕
Where x is the experimental range.

CASE 1: OFF THE TABLE

Procedure
 1. Set up the mini launcher on the table.

2. We took a blue carbon paper and a normal A4 sheet. Put the A4

sheet under the carbon paper at an appropriate distance from the
mini launcher.
3. We set an angle on the protractor given on the mini launcher.
4. Inserted the ball with the help of a rod until we heard a click
sound.
5. Measured the height of the ball from the ground surface. This is
done with the help of the “Center of mass” circle given on the
mini launcher.
6. Pulled the string to launch the ball. The ball fell on the carbon
paper leaving a blue dot on the A4 paper.
7. Measured the distance between the mini launcher and the point
at which the ball fell.
8. Took three to five different readings by performing the above
experiment multiple times at each angle
9. Calculated with the help of the above formulae, the initial velocity
and the time of flight.

#1. At 0o Angle with the horizontal

In this experiment we took angle of projection to be 0o with respect to
the horizontal. We measured the initial height Yo to be 36.8 cm.
Therefore, Yo = 0.368 m and θ= 00
Measurement No. Experimental Range
1 83.1 cm = 0.831 m
2 84.1 cm = 0.841 m
3 83.6 cm = 0.836 m
4 83.5 cm = 0.835m
5 83.5 cm = 0.835 m
 0.831+0.841+0.836+0.835+0.835
Mean range = x = = 0.8357 𝑚
5
The time of flight t is given as,

𝟐𝒀𝒐 𝟐(𝟎. 𝟑𝟔𝟖 𝒎)

𝒕=√ = √ = 𝟎. 𝟐𝟕𝟒 𝒔
𝒈 𝟗. 𝟖 𝒎𝒔−𝟐

Then the initial velocity vo is given as:

𝒙 𝟎. 𝟖𝟑𝟓𝟕
𝒗𝒐 = = = 𝟑 𝒎𝒔−𝟏
𝒕 𝟎. 𝟐𝟕𝟒

#2. At an angle θ with the horizontal

In this experiment, we changed the angle of projection to a certain
positive angle and then at some negative angle with respect to the
horizontal.
1. θ = 30o with the horizontal in the positive direction.
In this case, we measured the initial height Yo to be 41.5 cm.
Yo = 0.415 m
The table below shows the measurement made of the experimental
range:
Measurement no. Range (cm) Range (m)
1 122.7 1.227
2 124.2 1.242
3 123.2 1.232
4 123.2 1.232
5 122.1 1.221

𝟏. 𝟐𝟐𝟕 + 𝟏. 𝟐𝟒𝟐 + 𝟏. 𝟐𝟑𝟐 + 𝟏. 𝟐𝟑𝟐 + 𝟏. 𝟐𝟐𝟏

𝑴𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝑹𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒙 = 𝒎
𝟓
𝒙 = 𝟏. 𝟐𝟑𝟎𝟖 𝒎
Time t is then calculated as:

𝟐(𝒀𝒐 + 𝒙 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝜽)
𝒕= √ = 𝟎. 𝟒𝟕𝟗 𝒔
𝒈

We then get initial velocity vi as

𝒙 𝟏. 𝟐𝟑𝟎𝟖
𝒗𝒊 = = = 𝟐. 𝟓𝟕 𝒎𝒔−𝟏
𝒕 𝟎. 𝟒𝟕𝟗

2. At an angle φ = -30o with the horizontal

In this case, we launched the projectile at an angle of φ = -30o or
θ = 330o. We measured the initial vertical height to be Yo = 26.7 cm.
Yo = 0.267 m
Measurement no. Range (cm) Range (m)
1 33.6 0.336
2 32.6 0.326
3 32.6 0.326
4 32.0 0.320
5 31.5 0.315
0.336+0.326+0.326+0.320+0.315
Mean Range 𝒙 = = 𝟏. 𝟔𝟐𝟑 𝒎
5

Time t is then given as:

𝟐(𝒀𝒐 + 𝒙 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝜽) 2(0.267 + 1.623(−5.77)

𝒕= √ = √ = 0.370 𝑠
𝒈 −9.8

Initial Velocity vi is then given as:

𝒙 𝟏. 𝟔𝟐𝟑
𝒗𝒊 = = = 𝟒. 𝟒𝟎 𝒎𝒔−𝟏
𝒕 𝟎. 𝟑𝟕𝟎

3. Experimental vs. Theoretical Values of Range

In this experiment, we projected the projectile at different angles θ with

respect to the horizontal. At each projection angle, we measured the
 initial height Yo, the time t to cross the range, initial velocity vi. From all
these values, we calculated the theoretical range Ro and compared it
with the experimentally measured range R.

The purpose of this experiment was to check the effect of air resistance
and other factors on the range of the projectile as the experimentally
measured Range R was almost always different than the theoretically
measured value of range Ro.
The table below shows the initial height Yo of the projectile from the
return surface and the experimental range:
Angle Initial Height Range
θ Yo (m) R (m)
45o 0.408 1.263
30o 0.390 1.282
60o 0.400 1.043
75o 0.410 0.602

We now find the time for total flight from the following formula:
𝟏
𝒀𝑜 + 𝒗𝒊 𝒕 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽 − 𝒈𝒕𝟐 = 𝟎
𝟐
where we know that vi= 3 m s-1.
The table below now shows the Theoretical range 𝑹𝒐 = 𝒗𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜽 𝒕 and
Predicted ranges R for the above-mentioned angles of projection:

θ t Ro = 𝒗𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜽 × 𝒕 Experimental Range %Error

(o) (s) R (m) 𝑹 − 𝑹𝒐
(m) × 𝟏𝟎𝟎%
𝑹
45 0.577 1.224 1.263 3.1%

30 0.474 1.231 1.282 4.0%

60 0.655 0.982 1.043 5.8%

75 0.709 0.550 0.602 8.6%

Using Photo Gate:
We attached the photo gate to the mini launcher. The photo gate was
used to calculate the time taken by the projectile to cross the distance
between the two gates. The distance between the two gates was
measured to be 10 cm. Thus
D = 0.1 m
1. θ= 0o with the horizontal.
The table below shows the time measurements of the digital photo gate:
Measurement no. Time (s)
1 0.0320
2 0.0321
3 0.0320
4 0.0319
5 0.0318

𝟎. 𝟎𝟑𝟐𝟎 + 𝟎. 𝟎𝟑𝟐𝟏 + 𝟎. 𝟎𝟑𝟐𝟎 + 𝟎. 𝟎𝟑𝟏𝟗 + 𝟎. 𝟎𝟑𝟏𝟖

𝑀𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝒕 =
𝟓
𝒕 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟑𝟏𝟗𝟔 𝒔
Then, initial velocity vi is then given as:
𝑫
𝒗= = 𝟑. 𝟏𝟑 𝒎𝒔−𝟏
𝒕

Variation of Range with the Angle

We know that the range of the projectile varies with the angle by the
given relation:
 𝒗𝟐𝒊
𝑹= 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝜽
𝒈
By this relation, the range R of the projectile increases up to 45o at which
angle it has maximum range. Beyond this angle, the range decreases
such that with equal intervals above and below 45o, the decrease in the
range is constant.

In this experiment, we tried to measure the experimental range at

different angles and to plot a graph of the range of the projectile as a
function of angle of projection.

θ (o) θ(radians) R (m)

30 0.5236 1.282
45 0.7854 1.263
60 1.0472 1.043
75 1.3090 0.602

The graph shown below shows angle of projection, calibrated in radians

along the x-axis and the experimental range, calibrated in meters along
y-axis.
 Case II: On the table

Procedure:
1. Set up the mini launcher as shown.

2. Put the other apparatus as explained in the previous procedure.

3. Insert the ball into the mini launcher.
4. Set the angle of projection.
5. Pull the string to launch the projectile.
6. Note the angle and the experimental range of the projectile.
7. Plot the graph of the range of the projectile as a function of angle
of projection.

The table below shows our measured range R against the angle in
radians.
 θ (o) θ(radians) R (m)
10 0.1745 1.300
20 0.3491 1.410
30 0.5236 1.490
40 0.6981 1.450
50 0.8727 1.339
60 1.0472 1.114
70 1.2217 0.799
80 1.3962 0.417
90 1.5708 0

Graph:
 RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

As discussed above, we calculated the ranges, velocity using

experimental and theoretical methods. We then plotted the graphs of
the ranges of both off the table and on the table as functions of angles
of projection. As evident from the tables given above, the differences
between our experimental and predicted range values was not very
large with a mean percentage error of just 5.4%. But still, we are unsure
why our experimental ranges were larger than our theoretically
predicted ranges. We used the photo gate to accurately measure the
initial launch velocity of the projectile. We can say that we have become
very familiar with the use of mini launcher to simulate Projectile Motion.