ADDIS ABABA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

UNIVERSITY
Physics Department
Experiment one
Horizontal Projection
8/13/2022
Group Members ID
1. Yeabsira Abebaw ETS 1648/14
2. Yeabsira Alemayehu ETS 1647/14
3. Yafet Berhanu ETS 1615/14
4. Yeabsira Alemu ETS 1645/14
5. Yabsira Wesene ETS 1610/14
6. Yeabsira G/Michael ETS 1644/14
7. Yeabsira Fikadu ETS 1639/14
8. Yeabsira Endegena ETS 1649/14
9. Yadene Abrham ETS 1613/14
10.Yeabsira Yitayeh ETS 1643/14
11.Wuletaw Bezabin ETS 1606/14

Submitted to: Inst. Dr Anteneh G

 Horizontal projection
Objective
The objective of this lab is to use the physics of projectile motion to predict
the distance a horizontally launched projectile will travel before hitting the
ground. We roll a steel ball down a ramp on a lab table and calculate its
velocity at the bottom of the ramp. Using this velocity and the height of the
lab table above the floor, we use the physics of projectile motion to predict
how far away from the table edge the ball hit the ground.

Apparatus
 One table clamp
 Wooden Launching track
 Small steel ball
 Carbon paper
 white paper
 Ruler(tape)
 Table

Theory
Consider a projectile, say a ball, thrown horizontally with an initial
velocity from the top of a tower of height h .As the ball moves, it covers a
horizontal distance due to its uniform horizontal velocity u, and a vertical
downward distance because of constant acceleration due to gravity g. The
components of the projectile motion can be explained using kinematic
equations. This is because projectile motion takes place when an object
experiences motion as a result of gravity only with the object existing within a
two-dimensional space.

2
Let the ball take time t to reach the ground at point A. We can apply the kinematic
equations along the x direction and y direction separately. Since this is two-
dimensional motion, the velocity will have both horizontal component ux and
vertical component uy.

Motion along horizontal direction

The particle has zero acceleration along x direction. So, the initial
velocity ux remains constant throughout the motion

The distance traveled by the projectile at a time t is given by the equation

1
𝑥 = 𝑢𝑥 𝑡 + 𝑎𝑡 2 . Since a = 0 along x direction, we have
2

Motion along downward direction

Here uy = 0 (initial velocity has no downward component), a = g (we choose the +ve
y-axis in downward direction), and distance y at time t

3
 (1) Time of Flight: The time taken for the projectile to complete its trajectory or
time taken by the projectile to hit the ground is called time of flight.

Consider the example of a tower and projectile. Let h be the height of a tower. Let
T be the time taken by the projectile to hit the ground, after being thrown horizontally
from the tower.
1
We know that 𝑠𝑦 = 𝑢𝑦 𝑡 + 𝑎𝑡 2 for vertical motion. Here sy = h, t = T, uy = 0.
2
Then

Thus, the time of flight for projectile motion depends on the height of the tower, but
is independent of the horizontal velocity of projection. If one ball falls vertically and
another ball is projected horizontally with some velocity, both the balls will reach
the bottom at the same time.

4
(2) Horizontal range: The horizontal distance covered by the projectile from the
foot of the tower to the point where the projectile hits the ground is called horizontal
range. For horizontal motion, we have

Here, sx = R (range), ux = u, a = 0 (no horizontal acceleration) T is time of flight.

Then horizontal range = uT.

The above equation implies that the range R is directly proportional to the initial
velocity u and inversely proportional to acceleration due to gravity g. The initial
velocity u depends on the released height h. we know that from conversion of energy
when the projectile rolls without friction the gravitational potential energy at top of
the inclined ramp will completely be converted in to kinetic energy at the bottom of
the inclined ramp.

1
𝑚𝑔ℎ = 𝑚𝑢2
2
Solving this equation for u we will have,

𝑢 = √2𝑔ℎ

2𝑦
Substituting 𝑡 = √ and 𝑢 = √2𝑔ℎ in equation 𝑥 = 𝑢𝑡, we will have
𝑔

𝑥𝑝 = 2√𝑦ℎ this is the predicted value of the horizontal rang of the projectile.

5
 Procedure
1. The wooden track(ramp) was setup on the table.
2. A certain distance h was measured from the top of the table to the ramp
and the spot was marked.
3. The ball was released from the marked spot and noted where it hits the
floor (and get the ball back!).
4. Using that as a guide, the paper & carbon sheet were placed on the
floor at that point.
5. The ball was launched and noted where it struck the paper. A black dot
was visible and it indicated the precise spot.
6. Using a tape, the distance from directly under the launch point to the
dot on the paper was measured. The distance was recorded in our data
table under the column “Trial 1”.
7. Step 5 and step 6 were repeated three times, recording the values in the
following columns, Trial 1 – Trial 3.
8. The above steps were repeated for deferent values of h.

Collected Data
Height of table (y) = 78cm = 0.78m
Range(X) in (cm)
Trial Released Trial 1 Trial Trial 3 Average Standard Margin
Height(h) 2 deviation(σ) of
number in (m)
in (cm) error(σx̄)

1 5 30.5 30 30.3 0.3 0.21 0.12

2 10 42.5 42.2 42.3 0.4 0.12 0.07
3 15 56.3 56.7 56.8 0.6 0.22 0.12
4 20 58.7 59.1 59.2 0.6 0.23 0.12
5 25 66.6 66.2 67.3 0.7 0.45 0.26

6
 Analyzed Data
y = 0.78m
Xp=2√ℎ𝑦
𝑋−Xp
Percentage error = | | ∗ 100%
𝑋

𝑁
∑ (𝑥𝑖 −𝑥̅ ) 2
Margin of error(σx̄) = √ 𝑖=1
𝑁−1

Trial Release Actual Calculated Percentage error

number height range(X) Range(Xp) in(m) 𝑋−Xp
=| | ∗ 100%
(h) in (m) in (m) 𝑋
Xp=2√ℎ𝑦
1 0.05 0.3 0.4 30%
2 0.1 0.4 0.6 50%
3 0.15 0.6 0.7 20%
4 0.2 0.6 0.9 50%
5 0.25 0.7 0.9 30%

Discussion
This lab report contains the apparatus used, the theory and the procedure of an
experiment of projectile motion. the two tables show the collected data and
analyzed data respectively, the table of the collected data shows a ball being
released from different heights with three trials for each height, and the analyzed
data compares and contrasts the estimated value and the actual value, while making
the experiment we obtained a relatively high percentage error, this is because of
random errors which are the result of unpredictable changes. and also systematic
errors caused by neglecting air resistance.
Air resistance changed the trajectory of the motion.it slowed down the steel ball
and decreased the range of the projectile. If air resistance was not present in the
experiment, the steel ball would have landed farther away from the table.

7
 Conclusion
As we have seen in the result, we can conclude that when we calculate the
range of projectile motion we can’t simply ignore air resistance it has huge
effect on the range of the projectile motion.
We conclude from the experiment that increasing the height from which the
steel ball was being released will cause the horizontal distance to increase.

Reference
Halliday et al. "Fundamentals of Physics", 7th Edition. 111 River Street, NJ,
2005, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
https://www.maplesoft.com/content/EngineeringFundamentals/1/MapleDocument_1/Projectile%20Motion.pdf