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Projectile Motion - Mini Task

This document describes three experiments conducted using an online projectile motion simulation to test how different factors affect a projectile's flight. In the first experiment, mass was varied and it was found that lower mass projectiles traveled farther due to being more affected by air resistance. The second experiment varied gravity and found higher gravity resulted in lower projectile heights. The third experiment varied initial speed and found faster speeds allowed projectiles to travel farther. Gravity was determined to be the most important factor in projectile motion as it is the sole force pulling objects downward.

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Mawin Arabes
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
105 views

Projectile Motion - Mini Task

This document describes three experiments conducted using an online projectile motion simulation to test how different factors affect a projectile's flight. In the first experiment, mass was varied and it was found that lower mass projectiles traveled farther due to being more affected by air resistance. The second experiment varied gravity and found higher gravity resulted in lower projectile heights. The third experiment varied initial speed and found faster speeds allowed projectiles to travel farther. Gravity was determined to be the most important factor in projectile motion as it is the sole force pulling objects downward.

Uploaded by

Mawin Arabes
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Design and conduct your own experiments with projectiles!

Log onto http://phet.colorado.edu/simulations/sims.php?sim=Projectile_Motion *Press RUN NOW button.

1) Write your best understanding of the word projectile:

A projectile is an object upon which the only force acting is gravity. It is an object thrown in the air and its
flight path is governed by factors priors to its release

2) Name all of the factors you think to affect projectile movement (try to list at least five factors):

1. Air resistance
2. Gravity
3. Speed
4. Angle
5. Spin

Experiment 1:

3) With your lab partner, choose one of the factors you’ve just listed above and propose a question to
test that factor. Your goal is to hit the target!

a) Factor: air resistance

b) Question:

What is the effect of air resistance on the mass of an object?

4) Write your hypothesis regarding how the factor you’ve chosen will affect your ability to hit the target
(If…then…because):

If the mass of an object is smaller, the farther the object will travel than the bigger mass. Because the
smaller the mass or lighter will more air resistance will affect the object.

5) What is your independent variable? The mass of an object.


dependent variable? The distance of an object will travel

6) What variables should you keep constant? The initial speed of an object and the angle of the cannon at
45 degrees.
7) Once you have put all variables in place, fire away! Did you hit your target? Write a conclusion
statement explaining your results.

Yes, it hit the target. The smaller mass travel farther than the bigger mass. Because if the mass of an object
is smaller or lighter it will affect more air resistance to slowly fall down and travel far than the bigger mass
that falls down faster

Experiment 2:

1) With your lab partner, choose a different factor than the one above and propose a question to test
that factor. Your goal is to hit the target!

a) Factor: gravity
b) Question:

How does increasing gravity affect the flight of the object?

2) Write your hypothesis regarding how the factor you’ve chosen will affect your ability to hit the target
(If…then…because):

If the gravity is low, the higher vertical projectile it is than the higher gravity. Because the gravity is the
one who pull us to the center

3) What is your dependent variable? the height of vertical projectile


independent variable? The gravity of the object

4) What variables should you keep constant? The speed and angle

5) Once you have put all variables in place, fire away! Did you hit your target? Write a conclusion
statement explaining your results.

Yes, it hit the target. The low gravity flies a much higher vertical projectile than the higher gravity. Because
in low gravity the projectile will keep moving on moving up until it reaches the highest point then it falls
down being accelerated by gravity. But with higher gravity, the object is being pulled back again making fly
lower. And any mass of an object will be thrown, there is only one spot you will land at the constant
gravity.
Experiment 3:

1) With your lab partner, choose a different factor than the one above and propose a question to test
that factor. Your goal is to hit the target!

a) Factor: initial speed

b) Question:

How does speed affect the projectile of the object?

2) Write your hypothesis regarding how the factor you’ve chosen will affect your ability to hit the target
(If…then…because):

Shooting an object at a higher initial speed may increase the airtime and farther of the projectile than
lower initial speed and it depends on the angle it was fired.

3) What is your dependent variable? the distance travel of the projectile


independent variable? The initial speed of an object

4) What variables should you keep constant? The gravity and the angle of the cannon

5) Once you have put all variables in place, fire away! Did you hit your target? Write a conclusion
statement explaining your results.

Yes, it lands at a distance of 90 meters. The faster the initial speed it fired, the farther the distance it will
travel. because it will move through space constantly falling toward free fall. With vertical speed and
constant horizontal speed, as the object rises toward its peak and its slows down, it can travel farther.
Which factor appears most important in projectile motion? Explain your answer!

Gravity is the primary force acting on the projectile. A projectile is an object thrown up and will gravity pull
it back to fall. If there is no gravity, the object that you throw up or drop will not fall instead it will just float
in space because we and the object become weightless.

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