Walden University Physics Vectors and Velocity Lab Report

In this mini-lab, you’ll get a chance to do some additional practice in understanding the basic concepts behind projectile motion.

Please read the following instructions for how to complete and turn-in the lab carefully. This lab may be completed either as an individual report, or you may choose to work with your classmates in groups of no more than 4 people to produce a group report. If you choose to work as a group, please provide a list of all group members at the top-left margin of your report, and provide a brief description of how the work on the report was divided.

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LAB INSTRUCTIONS :

Navigate to the following link : https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/projectile-motion (Links to an external site.)
This HTML-5 will allow you to test the basic physics of projectiles. Before beginning with the lab, I would strongly suggest playing around with all the options and tools to familiarize yourself with the simulation!
Download the following lab worksheet : Attached below
Follow the instructions in the lab worksheet, completing it and answering all questions. Please remember to take screen shots and include them when requested.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS :

To submit your assignment, complete the worksheet and submit it to this assignment as either a docx or pdf file.
If you choose to work in groups, you may have one group member submit the write-up for the group. If you do so, please make sure all group members are listed on the write-up, and provide their names as a comment to your submission.

2 attachments

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Projectile Motion Lab – Angled Launch

Link for online lab:
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/projectile-motion

OBJECTIVES:

Draw motion diagrams for a projectile launched at an angle
Investigate how range, maximum height and flight time of a projectile changes with the launch angle
Determine gravitational field strength at a location by using a projectile and performing curve fitting on linearized data

PROCEDURE:

Click on the Vectors window. Deselect Air Resistance. Air resistance will remain zero for this experiment. Mass and diameter of the cannonball will also remain fixed at default values.

Part 1 – Motion Diagrams

Select the Velocity Vectors in the vectors box and choose “Components” from the radio buttons. Keeping rest of the settings on default, fire the projectile and observe how the vectors change as the projectile falls to the ground.
a) Draw a motion diagram showing velocity components at different locations.

b) What happens to the velocity y-component at the peak of the projectile? Explain why?

c) Compare initial velocity y-component (at the moment of launch from the cannon) to final velocity y-component (at the moment when the projectile hits the ground)? Discuss any similarity and/or difference.
Now keeping the Velocity Vectors selected, choose “Total” from the radio buttons. Fire the projectile and observe how the velocity vector changes as the projectile falls to the ground.
a) Draw a motion diagram showing the velocity vector at different locations.

b) How do the magnitude and direction of the velocity vector change as the projectile moves?

c) What can you say about the velocity vector at the peak of the projectile?

d) How is the velocity vector related to the path of the projectile (i.e. how is this vector drawn in relation to the path)?

e) Compare initial velocity vector (at the moment of launch from the cannon) to final velocity vector (at the moment when the projectile hits the ground)? Discuss any similarity and/or difference.
Now choose the Acceleration Vectors and Force Vectors in the vectors box and keep “Total” selected from the radio buttons. Fire the projectile and observe how the acceleration and force vectors change as the projectile falls to the ground.
a) Draw a motion diagram showing the acceleration vector at different locations.

b) Are the acceleration and force vectors related? Does the simulation show this relation?

Part 2 – Effects of launch angle on the motion of projectile

Reset the simulation and deselect Air Resistance. Air resistance will remain zero for this experiment. Set initial speed to 15 m/s. For constant values of initial speed (15 m/s), fire the projectile for 8 different angles (25, 35, 45, 55, 65, 75, 85, 90 degrees). Using the Time, Height and Range tool, collect data in the following data table.
Time, Height and Range tool is accessible in the top right corner of the simulation and looks like this:

Measure the following quantities:

R – Range (at the location where projectile hits the ground)
T_f – Flight Time (at the location where projectile hits the ground)
H – Maximum Height (at the peak of the projectile)
T_h – Time at Max Height (at the peak of the projectile)

Launch Speed v_x (m/s)	Launch Angle θ (degrees)	Range R (m)	Flight Time T_f (s)	Max. Height H (m)	Time to Max. Height T_h (s)	sin θ	sin² θ	sin 2θ
15	25
15	35
15	45
15	55
15	65
15	75
15	85
15	90

Using the data table, answer the following questions:
a) For which angle is the maximum height H of the projectile greatest? Explain why?

b) For which angle is the flight time T_f of the projectile greatest? Explain why?

c) For which angle is the range R of the projectile greatest? Explain why?
d) How is the flight time T_f of the projectile related to the time to maximum height T_h? What does it tell us about the projectile motion?
(HINT for parts a, b & c above: For constant value of magnitude of initial velocity i.e. 15 m/s, the components of initial velocity change with launch angle.)
Flight time a projectile launched at an angle is given by:
Explain how you can graphically obtain gravitational field strength g, by plotting T_f sinθ.
Use this graph to calculate g and compare it with known value of 9.81 m/s².
(Paste the graph with linear fit here.)
Maximum height of a projectile launched at an angle is given by:
Explain how you can graphically obtain gravitational field strength g, by plotting H vs. sin²θ.
Use this graph to calculate g and compare it with known value of 9.81 m/s².
(Paste the graph with linear fit here.)

Range of a projectile launched at an angle is given by:
Explain how you can graphically obtain gravitational field strength g, by plotting R vs. sin 2θ.
Use this graph to calculate g and compare it with known value of 9.81 m/s².
(Paste the graph with linear fit here.)

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