Batch 2026 (IBDP Physics)

A1.Kinematics - Projectile motion - Simulation Lab Activity

Name of the learner: Harshita

Source: https://phet.colorado.edu/
Objectives:
● Students will predict kinematic information for various situations on a projectile motion
virtual simulation
● Students will analyze and recognize patterns and trends in the data that they gather during
this activity
● Students will apply concepts previously developed about vectors and trigonometry to the
concepts of projectile motion.
Set-Up
i. Use the following link to open the “Projectile Motion” Phet Simulation:
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/projectile-motion
ii. When the lab opens, you will arrive at this screen:

Click around and get acclimated with the controls as you need to. Click on the
buttons and fiddle with the controls as you see fit.
iii. For planning purposes, we will be keeping gravity constant in this lab at 9.81 m/s2
which is the acceleration due to gravity near the surface of the Earth. The mass and
diameter of the object will also be kept constant for this lab. You may set those as you
see fit or choose from one of the preset items from the drop down menu on the side.
 iv. When you are comfortable enough with the controls, click on the “Lab” option to
begin the lab. You will work on this option for the remainder of the lab

Part I: Horizontally Launched Projectiles

1. Set the initial height of the cannon to 10 m, its initial speed to 18 m/s and the angle of the
cannon to be exactly 0o as per the screenshot below:

2. For a situation like the one above, what is the initial, vertical velocity (𝑣𝑖,𝑦) of the
projectile be? Explain your answer either qualitatively or quantitatively (or both) in the
space below:
Initial vertical velocity is
3. Once the cannon fires its projectile, does the horizontal velocity of the projectile increase,
decrease or stay constant over time? How do you know? Explain your answer in the
space below.

4. Using kinematic equations, predict how far away from the cannon, horizontally the ball
will land. Use the space below to show your work.

5. See if your prediction was correct by firing the cannon. Take a screenshot of your
successful shot in the space below.
(at this point, you should have both t and ∆𝑥 filled in on the first table)
6. In the space below, calculate the final vertical velocity (𝑣𝑓,𝑦) of the projectile

7. At this point you now know information about both the horizontal and the vertical
components of the projectile’s velocity. In the space below, draw a diagram of the vector
components of 𝑣𝑥 and 𝑣𝑓,𝑦 using the tip-to-tail method.

8. To the diagram that you drew above, draw in the resultant vector, 𝑣𝑓⃑ and the angle, θ.
9. Using your knowledge of vectors and trigonometry, in the space below, calculate 𝑣𝑓⃑ and
θ.

(at this point, the rest of table at the beginning of this section can be filled out)
10. Using words, describe the trajectory of a horizontally launched projectile. How do the
kinematic values change over time in the horizontal (x) dimension? How do the
kinematic values change over in the vertical (y) dimension? What did this actually look
 like when the projectile was fired? Why do you think the trajectory looks the way that it
does?

11. Reflect on the math and equations that you used to determine the horizontal displacement
(∆𝑥) of the projectile. Summarize, in words, the process you used to find the horizontal
displacement of the object in an organized and logical manner.

Part II: Projectile Launched at an Angle

12. Keep the target at the same location on the ground from the end of the previous section of
the lab, but lower the height of the cannon all the way down to 0 m, as in the picture
below:
 13. Let’s try to hit the target again now from this height. Change the angle of the cannon and
the initial speed as you need to so that when the cannon is fired, the projectile strikes the
target. Paste a screenshot in the space below when you successfully hit the target.

(at this point you should be able to fill out 𝑣𝑜⃑ and θ in the table for this section of the lab)

14. What is different about the initial speed in this part of the lab compared to the last part of
the lab. Apply concepts of vectors and trigonometry in your explanation.

15. Using trigonometry, resolve the initial speed of the projectile into horizontal (x) and
vertical (y) components. Show your work in the space below.
16. Use the tools at the top of the simulation to measure both the horizontal displacement of
the ball and the time the ball spends in the air. Record these values in the table at the
beginning of this section

17. Find the horizontal velocity (𝑣𝑥) and the initial vertical velocity (𝑣𝑖,𝑦) of the projectile
using the kinematics equations. Show your work in the space below.

18. How do these values compare to the values you calculated in Question 15? What
conclusions can you draw from this pattern?
(at this point you should be able to fill out ∆𝑥, 𝑡, 𝑣𝑥 and 𝑣𝑖,𝑦 in the table above)

19. Describe the trajectory of the object, qualitatively. How does this trajectory compare to
that of a horizontally launched projectile?

20. How does the velocity change as a vector over time? Describe both the original vector
and its components as they change over time. (Note: Think of this question not just in
terms of number, but also in terms of the orientation of the velocity vector of the
projectile).

21. Using the Kinematics equations, determine the maximum height that the projectile
reaches in its trajectory. Show all of your work in the space below. Then use the
measurement tools in the simulation to confirm your calculations. Paste a screenshot of
your measurement next to your work in the space below.
 (you should have the entire table filled out at the beginning of this part of the lab).
Part III: Projectile Launched at an Angle with an Initial Height
Fill in the table below as you find the different values for this part of the lab
𝑡 ∆𝑥 𝑣𝑓,𝑦 𝑣𝑓⃑ θ𝑓 𝑦𝑚𝑎𝑥

22. Keep both the initial speed and the angle of the cannon the same from the previous
section of the lab, but now raise the height of the cannon to 7 m as shown in the
screenshot below:
23. The first goal for this part of the lab is to predict the horizontal range of the projectile.
1 2
Using the equation ∆𝑦 = 𝑣𝑖,𝑦𝑡 + 2
𝑎𝑡 , to set up the equation to find the hang time of
the projectile by plugging the known values into the equation. What do you notice about
this equation, compared to the other times we have use this when calculating time?

24. You will need the quadratic formula to solve the equation from the previous step. If you
know the quadratic formula from memory, copy it down here. If you do not know the
quadratic formula, then you may need to look it up and define for yourself what each of
the variables mean in order to use it correctly.

25. Use the quadratic formula to find the hang time of the ball. You may find that you have
two solutions when you use the quadratic formula correctly. Are the two solutions
legitimate? Why or why not? Which of the two “times” that you calculated from the
quadratic formula should you use to move forward with finding the horizontal range of
the projectile? Justify your reasoning for your choice.
 26. Using the time you chose in the previous step, predict the horizontal range of the
projectile using the kinematic equations in the space below.

27. Test your prediction by firing the cannon and seeing where your projectile lands. When
you successfully hit the target, paste a screenshot of your successful trial in the space
below.

(you should be able to fill out t and ∆𝑥 in the table at the beginning of this part of the lab at this
point)
28. Using the kinematics of the scenario, calculate 𝑣𝑓⃑, the final velocity of the projectile and
θ𝑓, the angle at which the projectile strikes the ground at. Show your work in the space
below and be sure to include a diagram of the components of 𝑣𝑓⃑.
29. Using the kinematics of the scenario, calculate the maximum height, 𝑦𝑚𝑎𝑥, that the
projectile attains in its trajectory. Show all of your work in the space below. When you
have an answer, use the measurement tools in the simulation to confirm your calculations
and paste a screenshot in the space below.
(you should be able to fill out the rest of the table for this section of the lab at this point)
30. Final Challenge: We have done a TON of kinematics and projectile motion practice with
this lab. With this final prompt, play with any of the settings that we have not yet played
around with on this lab (gravity, air resistance, size of the object or mass of the object).
How does changing the parameter that you messed with impact the kinematics, the math
and the trajectory of the object? Was it the same? Did something change? If something
was different, what changed. Paste Screenshots or sample calculations in the space
below.