HORIZONTALLY-LAUNCHED PROJECTILES

Goal: To understand the conceptual nature of the motion of a horizontally-launched projectile.

Background: A projectile is an object that is projected or launched into the air and then moves through the air under the sole influence of
gravity. In this sense, a projectile is a free-falling object that experiences a downward acceleration of approximately 10 m/s/s.

Getting Ready! Follow the directions below to have a successful activity.

1. Visit this classroom website: https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Physics-Interactives/Vectors-and-Projectiles/Projectile-

Simulator/Projectile-Simulator-Interactive
2. Once the Interactive opens, resize it to whatever size you wish.
3. Then set: Speed to 10 m/s, Angle to 0 degrees and, Height to 120 m.
4. Select Show Velocity Vectors in order to enable this feature.

5. Take a screenshot of your set-up and place it in the box. (1pt.)

Prepared by: RCH

From The Physics Classroom’s Physics Interactives
6. Click the Start button and observe the simulation.
Note: The red arrows are velocity vectors. They are indicators of how fast the object is moving horizontally and vertically. The length
of the arrow indicates how fast the object is moving in that direction.
Q1: Does the object change how fast it is moving in the horizontal direction? Explain. (3pts.)

No, because the horizontal arrow does not change at all.

7. Reset and Start the animation again

Q2: Does the object change how fast it is moving in the vertical direction? Explain. (3pts)

Yes, the arrow changes in size.

For questions 3 to 5, highlight with color turquoise the correct answer. (1 pt. each)
Q3: How does the initial horizontal velocity (right after it starts moving) compare to the final horizontal velocity (just before hitting the
ground)?
a. They are equal. b. The initial is greater c. The final is greater
Q4: How does the initial vertical velocity (right after it starts moving) compare to the final vertical velocity (just before hitting the
ground)?
a. They are equal. b. The initial is greater c. The final is greater
Q5: Acceleration involves a change in speed. In which direction does a projectile accelerate?
a. Horizontally only b. Vertically only
c. Both horizontally and vertically d. Neither horizontally and vertically

6. Now run the several trials to fill in the table. Click Reset after each trial to prepare for the next. Keep the initial height at 120 m and the
angle at 0 degrees. (5 pts.)

TRIAL SPEED (m/s) TIME (s) X-DISPLACEMENT (m)

1 10 4.949 49.49
2 20 4.949 98.98
3 30 4.949 148.47
4 40 4.949 197.95
5 60 4.949 296.93
7. Analyze the data above to answer the following questions.
Q6: Describe the effect that increasing launch speed has upon the time to fall. (3 pts.)

As the launch speed increasing, the time it falls still the same since they all have the same initial height which is 120 m.

Q7: Describe the effect that increasing launch speed has upon the horizontal or x-displacement. (3 pts.)

As the launch speed increasing, its x-displacement is also increasing.

For questions 8 to 9, highlight with color turquoise the correct answer. (1 pt. each)
Q8: A doubling of launch speed causes the time to fall to _____ and the x-displacement to _____.
a. double, double b. halve, double c. not change, double
d. double, not change e. double, halve f. not change, halve
Q9: Which two trials could be used to show the effect that a tripling of the launch speed has upon the time and x-displacement?
a. Trials 1 and 2 b. Trials 2 and 4 c. Trials 2 and 5
Conclusion:
Q10: Experiment with the Interactive in order to determine what changes must be made in order to decrease the time to fall. Describe what
you changed, what you observed, and what you conclude: (4 pts. each)

What I changed:

What I changed in the trial 1 is the initial height from 120 m to 90 m but the same velocity of 10 m/s and 0 degree angle.

Prepared by: RCH

From The Physics Classroom’s Physics Interactives
What I observed:

I observed that as the height decreases, the time to fall also decreases or the faster it is the time to land.

What I conclude regarding what changes must be made to decrease the time to fall :

I conclude that we need to change the height in order for us to decrease the time to fall or the faster it is to fall.

Prepared by: RCH

From The Physics Classroom’s Physics Interactives