PHYS 1405 – Conceptual Physics I

Projectile Motion

 

Leader: ____________________________   Recorder: __________________________

Skeptic: ___________________________    Encourager: ________________________

 

Materials

3 long lengths Hot WheelsTM track with connectors

Ring Stand with right angle clamp

Hot WheelsTM car

Hot WheelsTM Clamp

LabPro

Laptop

Photogate

No Bounce Pad

 

Introduction

      In this brief activity we will apply the ideas of projectile motion to predict the range of  a Hot WheelsTM car as it flies off of a lab table.  The range is the horizontal distance from the launch point that the car travels.

 

Procedure

1.  Set-up

      Arrange the track so that the car rolls down a slope and ends up following the last piece of track horizontally off the table.        

      Arrange the photogate so that the car blocks it just before it leaves the table.  You may want the car to leave the track before reaching the photogate so that the photogate is not blocked by the track.  Start up LoggerPro and open the experiment file “Probes&Sensors=>Photogates=>One Gate Timer”. 

      Measure and record the length of the Hot WheelsTM car that passes through the photogate in m. 

 

Length = _________________ m. 

 

Follow the instructions shown in the lower left corner of LoggerPro to enter the length of the car into LoggerPro so that LoggerPro can determine the car’s velocity as it passes through the gate. 

 

2.  Data Acquistion

      Identify a location on the track from which to release the car.  Each time release the car from the same point.  Click on the Collect button and release the car.  LoggerPro should give you a value for the velocity of the car as it passed through the photogate.  If it doesn’t make sure that the car blocked the photogate as it passed through.  Identify where the car lands on the floor and place the no bounce pad there.  Make several more runs releasing the car from the same height each time to insure that you can make a reproducible velocity.

      Determine what other values you need to measure to predict the landing spot of the car.

 

3.  Prediction

      From the velocity that you have measured for your car and any other quantities you have measured, predict the range of the car.  Show your calculations on the back of this sheet.

 

4.  See if you are correct

      Make a target and place it on your predicted landing spot.  Show your instructor your prediction and then see if you hit the target when you release the car from the same height.  Have your instructor initial that you were successful.

 

Success ______