Inquiry Physics Lab: Sling-Shot Shennanigans
Equipment needed per group of 2-3 students:






8-12 Wooden sticks (tongue depressors work well)
2 Rubber bands
ights (heavy enough to only fly a few inches)
Protractor
Ruler or meter stick
Stopwatch
Data:
1.The students will need to construct a standing sling shot out of the sticks
and rubber bands.
2.Have the students record their procedure for any measurements they
make: the angle, distance they pulled the rubber band back, distance
the cotton ball traveled and the time the cotton ball was in the air.
3.Include the data in a table.
Angle:_______ Mass of Cotton Ball (given)
trial
x (slingshot)
dx (bean bag)
t (time of flight)
vx = dx/t
vi (= vx/cosθ)
k (= mvi2/x2)
1
2
3
4
4.Have the students try different combinations of angles, distances pulling
the rubber band back and different weights of projectiles. This lab is
useful in illustrating difficult concepts such as spring constant and
energy transfer.
Possible Standards Illustrated:
1. Standard P-1: The student will demonstrate an understanding of
how scientific inquiry and technological design, including
mathematical analysis, can be used appropriately to pose questions,
seek answers, and develop solutions.
2. Standard P-2: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the
principles of force and motion and relationships between them.
3. Standard P-3: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the
conservation, transfer, and transformation of mechanical energy.
4. Standard PS-5: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the
nature of forces and motion.
5. Standard PS-6: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the
nature, conservation, and transformation of energy.
Pre-MacMods
There’s 2 seconds left in your final homecoming football game. You’re down two
points and on the 1-yard line, the opponent’s 1-yard line. But it’s OK you’ve got Big
Jim, the farthest kicking field goal kicker in history!
Your coach tells Big Jim that all he has to do is kick the ball with an initial velocity of
50 m/s at an angle of 35°. Overhearing him you do some quick calculations and
realize the coach is wrong. What minimum velocity and angle does Big Jim need to
kick the ball in order to make a 100m field goal?
Bonus: When will different launch angles have the same range?
Post-MacMods
During physics class one day your favorite physics teacher claims that
none of his students will ever be able to match his knowledge in
Newton’s Laws. Knowing this to be untrue you claim that YOU have the
superior mind in Newton’s Laws. Hearing this, your favorite physics
teacher challenges you to a winner-take all question.
Using what you know about projectile motion and energy transfer, at
what angle and velocity would a 0.5 Kg projectile have to be launched to
hit a target 75 m away?