The Rubber Band:
A mini Projectile
Name: ______________________
School: ______________________
Science Teacher: ______________________
Classroom Teacher: ______________________
Due Date: ______________________
Grade: 6th
School District: Irvine Unified School District
Student’s Name 1
Table of Contents
Abstract ………………………………………….
Page 3
Investigative Question ……….………………….
Page 4
Background Research ……...……………………
Page 5
Hypothesis ………………………………………
Page 7
Materials …………………...……………………
Page 8
Procedures ………………………………………
Page 9
Qualitative Observations ………………………..
Page 10
Quantitative Data ……………..…………………
Page 11
Graph of Results ………………...………………
Page 12
Conclusion ………………………………………
Page 13
Applications …………………….……………….
Page 15
Future Research …………………………………
Page 17
Resources Cited …………………………………
Page 18
Appendices …….…………………..…………….
Page 19
**(Note to students & parents: Page numbers will vary depending on child’s length of
Background Research)**
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Student’s Name
Abstract
How does the angle of arm on a rubber band cannon (30°, 50°, and 70°)
affect the distance it will travel forward? My hypothesis was blah, blah, blah. The
major materials I used were blah, blah, blah. The procedures were blah, blah, blah.
My results showed that blah, blah, blah. In conclusion, blah, blah, blah.
** (Note to students & parents: This is a 1-2 paragraph summary of the entire project and
is the LAST thing the kids type up. Follow this format:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Problem Statement: What is the question to be answered through your experiment?
Hypothesis: What is your educated/testable answer to your question.?
Materials: List major equipment, all chemicals and materials used.
Procedure:
A. What major steps did you follow to investigate the problem?
B. What factor (variable) did you alter in order to test your hypothesis?
C. Describe your sample size and number of trials.
D. What measurements did you take?
5. Results: Describe briefly the measurements you obtained from your experiments as well as the results
of any mathematical calculations.
6. Conclusion: Briefly describe the answer to your initial problem based on the results you obtained in
your experiments.)**
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Investigative Question
How does the angle of arm on a rubber band cannon (30°, 50°, and 70°)
affect the distance it will travel forward?
**(Note to students & parents: This is one sentence that includes your Independent and
Dependent Variables and should be in the format “How does…. affect…)**
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Background Research Summary
Forces act on moving objects by pushing or pulling them. The force of
gravity attracts objects to each other. It is affected by the distance between the
objects and by the mass of the objects. Gravity pulls objects on Earth towards the
ground.
Galileo investigated the Law of Falling Bodies. It states that objects which
are dropped at the same time will land at the same time. Galileo believed that
objects, including projectiles, would move at a constant speed if their motion was
not affected by forces, such as friction or gravity. Instead, these forces cause
projectiles to move in curved paths know as parabolas. Galileo found that
projectiles launched from a 45 degree angle stay in the air longer than those
launched from other angles.
Isaac Newton developed three Laws of Motion. The law of Inertia states
that objects at rest stay at rest and that objects in motion keep moving in a straight
line. Newton’s Law of Mass and Acceleration says that the more mass an object
has, the harder it is to push it, to pull it, or to stop it. Friction from the air causes
projectiles to slow down as they are rising. Gravity causes them to speed up as
they are falling. Finally, the Law of Action and Reaction says that for every action
there is an equal and opposite reaction.
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Energy was defined by Thomas Young as the ability to do work. Young
described two types of energy. Objects at rest have stored or potential energy.
Potential energy includes chemical, elastic, nuclear, gravitational, and electrical
energy. Moving objects have kinetic energy. Kinetic energy includes radiant
energy (waves), thermal energy (heat), motion energy (moving), and sound energy
(vibrations).
**(Note to students & parents: This is 1 – 2 pages of information and definitions relevant to
your Investigative Question. It needs to be in your own words, in paragraph/essay format and is
used to formulate your hypothesis.)**
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Student’s Name
Hypothesis
I predict that the rubber band will go the furthest when launched at the 50
degree angle because this is the closest angle to 45 degrees. Galileo found that
projectiles launched from a 45 degree angle stay in the air longer, so at a 50 degree
angle, it should go the furthest. I predict that the 30 degree angle will project the
rubber band the second furthest because this is the next closest angle to 45 degrees.
Finally, I predict the 70 degree angle will launch the rubber band the shortest
because this angle should project more “up” rather than “out”. It is also a much
steeper angle than 45 degrees.
**(Note to students & parents: This is your best educated prediction as to what will happen
during your experiment. It should include three “I predict…because…” sentences {1 for each
variation of the Independent Variable being tested} and be SPECIFIC.) **
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Materials
 1 rubber band cannon
 1 rubber band (3 ½” x ¼”, which is 8.89cm x 0.635cm)
 1 tape measure or yard stick
 Open space
 Data sheet
 Pencil
** (Note to students & parents: List of all materials needed to conduct your experiment and
their amounts in metric units {examples: grams [g], centimeters [cm], milliliters [mL], Celcius
[C], etc}. Be SPECIFIC.)**
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Procedures
1. Place a rubber band launcher on the flat ground in an open space.
2. Draw a chalk line around its base.
3. Lift the launcher and mark the box with your class and table number.
4. Place the launcher in the box and set the angle to 30 degrees.
5. Label and draw a picture of this angle on your data sheet.
6. Stretch a rubber band to the 20 cm mark and release.
7. Record the general path the rubber band took (right, left, or straight).
8. Measure and record the straight distance from the base of the launcher to the
rubber band’s landing point.
9. Repeat procedures #5- #7 four more time for a total of 5 trials.
10.Change the angle of launch to 50 degrees.
11.Label and draw a picture of this angle on your data sheet.
12.Follow procedures #5- #7 five times at this angle.
13.Change the angle of launch to 70 degrees.
14.Label and draw a picture of this angle on your data sheet.
15.Follow procedures #5- #7 five times at this angle.
16.Calculate and record the totals and averages for each angle tested.
**(Note to students & parents: Numbered, step-by-step description of how you conducted your
experiment. Be SPECIFIC. There should be approximately 10 – 20 steps.)**
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Qualitative Observations
Variable Tested: _______30°___________
Trial #1 _______left_________
Illustration:
Trial #2 _____straight________
Trial #3 _______left_________
Trial #4 _____straight________
Trial #5 _____straight________
Variable Tested: _______50°___________
Trial #1 _____straight________
Illustration:
Trial #2 __left, but bounced___
Trial #3 _______left_________
Trial #4 _______left_________
Trial #5 _____straight________
Variable Tested: _______70°___________
Trial #1 _______left_________
Illustration:
Trial #2 _______left_________
Trial #3 _____straight________
Trial #4 ______right_________
Trial #5 _____straight________
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Student’s Name
Quantitative Data
Data Table
Trial #
1
2
3
4
5
Total
30°
50°
70°
630 cm
601 cm
351 cm
606 cm
602 cm
384 cm
615 cm
584 cm
317 cm
616 cm
587 cm
333 cm
602 cm
594 cm
311 cm
3069 cm
2968 cm
1696 cm
Average 613.8 cm 593.6 cm 339.2 cm
**(Note to students & parents: You can make a computer table by selecting “Insert” from the
top menu bar, “Table”, then selecting the appropriate number of rows and columns.)**
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Graph of Results
Distance of Rubber Band at Different Angles
700
613.8
593.6
600
Distance Traveled (cm)
500
400
339.2
Average
300
200
100
0
30 degrees
50 degrees
70 degrees
Angle of Rubber Band Cannon Arm
**(Note to students & parents: Independent Variable goes on the horizontal axis and
Dependent Variable goes on the vertical axis. Don’t forget to label everything; it should have an
appropriate Title, and the Bars should not touch. On my website is a step-by-step “How to” guide
for creating a computer graph.)**
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Conclusion
My original hypothesis was that the 50 degree angle would shoot the rubber
band the farthest, followed by the 30 degree angle. I thought that the 70 degree
angle would shoot the rubber band the shortest distance. I found out that the first
part of my hypothesis was incorrect. My data showed that the rubber band went
the furthest distance when shot from the 30 degree angle.
The reason this happened was because I think the rubber band shot at the 30
degree angle had less air friction. I think the first part of my hypothesis was
incorrect because I only thought of the 45 degree angle. When I re-read my
Background Research, I realized that at a 45 degree angle, Galileo only observed
that objects stay in the air longer; it doesn’t necessarily mean they will go farther in
distance forward.
I completely forgot to take into account that the rubber band shot at the 50
degree angle would be working harder against the force of gravity. It seemed so
obvious when I predicted the outcome for the 70 degree angle, but I didn’t even
consider it for the 50 degree angle. I focused too much on only one piece of my
research and I should have considered all the research from Galileo and Sir Isaac
Newton on forces and motion.
I think air currents within the Multi-Purpose Room affected my results. I
noticed that my rubber band went straighter more often at the 30 degree angle. At
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the 50 and 70 degree angles, there was more of a discrepancy (problem) with
where my rubber band landed. Given that the rubber band was probably in the air
longer at the higher angles, having air currents affect their placement does not
surprise me.
In the future I would like to try my other variables. Now that I have a better
idea of which angle would shoot the rubber band the furthest, I would like to see if
I could maximize the distance by completing trials where I test the other two
independent variables I thought of in the beginning; pulling the rubber band back
to different distances before releasing and using different rubber band sizes. First I
would figure out a good combination of pull back and at a 30 degree angle. Then I
would like to try different size or types of rubber bands.
**(Note to students & parents: This is a 1 – 2 page summary of your project in which you
restate the Investigative Question and Hypothesis; explain whether or not experiment results
supported your Hypothesis or not; points out outside variables that may have affected your
results; and describes what you learned)**
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Student’s Name
Applications
Many people, on many different levels, can use the knowledge from this
experiment. First, my sixth graders got to see how to complete a Science Fair
Project from start to finish. Although each class chose to observe a different
independent variable (angle, pull back, and type of rubber band), I think the
students can relate to this sample Science Fair experiment. They can see what we
did in class, how it is similar to this Notebook example, and how they can then
apply it to their own individual Science Fair Project. They also got to see firsthand the effects of outside forces, like wind, and how that can negatively affect
your data and the placement of a rubber band.
In addition, I think the physics demonstrated by this Project will be
memorable and useful in their future science classrooms and lives. I know I have a
better understanding of forces of gravity and the laws of motion, so I predict they
do as well. When they are in 8th grade and really focusing on the physical
sciences, hopefully they will remember some of what they learned from the
Background Research and Experiment.
This whole process might also spark an area of interest they never
considered before. This Science Fair Project, and the one they are completing at
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home, are exposing them to new ways of thinking and looking at the world around
them.
**(Note to students & parents: This is 1 -2 paragraphs explaining how the information you
learned can be used by you or others.)**
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Student’s Name
Future Research
In the future I would like to try my other variables. Now that I have a better
idea of which angle would shoot the rubber band the furthest, I would like to see if
I could maximize the distance by completing trials where I test the other two
independent variables I thought of in the beginning; pulling the rubber band back
to different distances before releasing and using different rubber band sizes. First I
would figure out a good combination of pull back and at a 30 degree angle. Then I
would like to try different size or types of rubber bands.
**(Note to students & parents: One paragraph which describes how you would change your
investigation to improve its accuracy or how you would extend your experiment to make more
discoveries.)**
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Resources Cited
Henderson, T. (01 January 2000) “Newton’s Laws of Motion”, The Physics
Classroom, 24 September 2012,
<http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/newtlaws/>
Lafferty, P. (1999) Force and Motion, New York City, New York, DK Publishing,
Inc.
Page, D. (1993) Gravitation, The New Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia, New
York City, New York, Grolier Incorporated
**(Note to students & parents: Alphabetical list of all the resources used to find Background
Research. You need to have a minimum of 3 total resources {1 book, 1 internet, and 1 your
choice].)**
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Appendices
Appendix A: Official Certificate forms (if needed)
Appendix B: Rough draft of Investigative Question and Introduction
Appendix C: Rough draft of Background Research, Bibliography, and Hypothesis
Appendix D: Online printouts and resources used
Appendix E: Rough draft of Materials and Procedures
Appendix F: Handwritten notes for Qualitative Observations and Quantitative Data
Appendix G: Rough draft of Conclusion, Applications, Future Research, and
Acknowledgments
**(Note to parents: These are suggested Appendices. If your child doesn’t have all of these
items, that’s okay, but rough drafts are REQUIRED so include as many of the rough drafts as
possible.)**
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