Name________________________________________________________________________
Projection Motion Simulator Worksheet
Go to the projectile motion simulator at http://phet.colorado.edu/sims/projectilemotion/projectile-motion_en.html
1. Starting with the pumpkin as your projectile, gather data and answer the following
questions:
a. With an initial speed of 18m/s and no air resistance, what angle must the cannon be
set at to hit the bull’s eye? _______________
b. Erase your results from part a. Add air resistance and now find the angle the cannon
must the cannon be at to hit the bull’s eye?_______________
c. Erase your results from part b and remove the air resistance. Collect data to figure
out how the angle must be changed to hit the bull’s eye as the initial speed increases.
Initial speed
14m/s
18m/s
22m/s
26m/s
Angle
75
Conclusion: What can you say about the speed at which the object is launched and the
angle it needs to hit the bull’s eye?
2. Now, using the projectiles shown, collect data to figure out what happens to the launch
angle as the mass of the projectile changes. Use 18m/s as your speed.
Projectile
Mass
Angle
Football
Bowling ball
Adult human
Piano
Buick
Conclusion: What can you say about the mass of the object and the angle needed to hit
the bull’s eye?
3. Now repeat the tests you ran in step 2, but instead of recording the angle needed, record
the flight times.
Projectile
Football
Bowling ball
Adult human
Piano
Buick
Mass
Flight time
Conclusion: What can you say about the effect of the mass of the object on the flight
time to reach the bull’s eye?
4. Repeat the same tests again, only change the launch angle to 65⁰. Record the initial speeds
needed in each case to hit the target.
Projectile
Football
Bowling ball
Adult human
Piano
Buick
Mass
Initial Speed
Conclusion: What can you say about the speed needed to reach the bull’s eye as the
mass increases but the launch angle remains constant?
5. Go back and look at the data you collected in step 2. Set up your launch the same way
(speed 18 m/s and a launch angle of 75⁰). Now turn ON the air resistance. Record the “drag
coefficient” and describe how close the projectile now comes to the target.
Projectile
Football
Bowling ball
Adult human
Piano
Buick
Drag coefficient
How close to target?
Conclusion: The drag coefficient is a way of measuring how big an effect air resistance
has on an object that is moving through the air. How does the air resistance relate to
whether the object could still hit the bull’s eye or not?
6. Choose an object and launch speed. In this activity you will collect data to show how the
launch angle effects the distance, or range, and the height that the projectile flies. Do not
erase your flight paths between shots!
Object_________________________
Angle
Launch speed__________________
Range w/ no Height w/ no Range w/
Height w/
air resistance air resistance air resistance air resistance
10
15
20
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
Conclusion: Look at the pattern made by the red (with air resistance) and blue (without
air resistance) flight paths. Describe what this tells you about the effect of air resistance
on a flying object.
Conclusion: How do these results compare to the data you collected during the
Projectile Motion lab? Why do you think the results are different?