PRELIMINARY QUESTIONS

1. Think about the motion of a ball thrown in the air at a certain angle as the combination (or resultant)
of two independent motions: motion in the x- direction and motion in the y- direction. Describe in
words the two motions.
Answer
In the x direction, no force acts on the ball. So the motion is uniform in this direction. In the
y-direction, the gravitational force acts on the ball in the opposite direction of its motion. So in this
direction the motion is not uniform and velocity decreases with time. However, after reaching the
highest point, the ball starts to move downwards and its velocity increases.

2. 2. Make a sketch of your prediction for the horizontal position (x) vs. time and horizontal velocity
(vx ) vs. time graphs. Write the general form of the equation described by each graph (For example, if
your prediction is that the x vs t graph is a straight line, the corresponding equation is x = m ∗ t + b;
if you think that x vs t is a parabola, the corresponding equation is x = m ∗ t2 + n ∗ t + p; etc)
Answer
Since velocity is constant in the x-direction, the position vs. time graph is linear and vx vs. time
graph is parallel to the t-axis. Both of them are shown below:

Figure 01: Position vs. time graph in x direction

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 In equation form:

y =m∗t+b

Figure 02: Velocity vs. time graph in x direction

In equation form:

y=c

3. Make a sketch of your prediction for the vertical position (y) vs. time and vertical velocity (vy ) vs.
time graphs. Write the general form of the equation described by each graph (For example, if your
prediction is that the y vs t graph is a straight line, the corresponding equation is y = m ∗ t + b; if
you think that y vs t is a parabola, the corresponding equation is y = m ∗ t2 + n ∗ t + p; etc)
Answer
Since the vertical motion is non-uniform and velocity decreases with time with constant acceleration,,
the velocity-time graph is linear. The distance covered is a parabolic curve. Both of them are shown
below:

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 Figure 03: Position vs. time graph in y direction

The corresponding equation is:

y = mt2 + nt + p

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 Figure 04: Velocity vs. time graph in y direction

The corresponding equation is:

y = mt + b

4. Describe in words what these graphs mean.

Answer
These graphs describes the motion of the projectile in terms of its position and velocity in both the
x and y components.

5. BLANK

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6. Click between the two arrows on the y axis and select ”y”. The graph of the vertical position will
be displayed. What is the shape of the graph? Is it consistent with your response to the preliminary
question 3? What type of motion (uniform or accelerated) is it? How can you tell?
Answer

Figure 05: Vertical position of the ball vs. time

Shape of the graph is parabolic.

Yes, it is consistent with my response to question 3.
The motion is accelerated in the first half and decelerated in the second half.
If a body moves with a constant velocity, the distance travelled by the body will be a linear graph.
Since the graph is parabolic here, we conclude the motion is non-uniform.

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7. Click and drag on the graph and select the appropriate fit. What kind of curve fit best match the
graph? Apply the simplest best fit that matches the graph.
Answer
A parabola best fits the graph.
8. Record the fit equation and the corresponding coefficients in Table 1.
Answer

Figure 06: Fit Equation

The concerned table is mentioned below:

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 Figure 07: Fit Equation Coefficient Table

Referring to your textbook, does your selected (experimental) fit equation agree to the kinematic
equation for a free-falling body? State below what is similar, and what is different. Record the
expected equation in Table 1.

In the theoretical equation, the coefficients B and C are zero. This is the difference between the
theoretical and the experimental equation. The similarity is that both the equations are of 2nd
degree.
9. 9. The equation in the textbook was derived under the assumption that the motion starts at t = 0,
from the origin. As you can see from your movie, the time was not t = 0 on your first frame. You
can find the time of your first frame by using the Examine tool from the LoggerPro top toolbar (let’s
call it t0 ). Notice that t0 is also the first data point in the “Time” data column. Then you can create
a new column “Adjusted time” that will make t = 0 on your first frame. To do that, go on the bar
at the top of your screen Data/New Calculated Column and enter the new column title (Adjusted
time) the unit (seconds) and the short name (t). In the equation field, enter “Time”-t0 and then
“done” (t0 is the actual numerical value). If you go back on the position graph, you can see the plot
of y versus the adjusted time by clicking on the horizontal axis and selecting “Adjusted Time”.
10. Do another fit and record the new coefficients below.
Answer
The coefficients are:

Figure 08: New Fit Equation Coefficient Table

11. Write side-by side the textbook equation and the experimental equation. Plug in t = 0 for both and
write the result.
Answer
The same is shown below:

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Yexp = −5.185t2 + 4.045t + 1.622 Ytext = − × 9.81t2
2
At t = 0

Yexp = 1.622 Ytext = 0

12. What is the significance of the fit coefficients in Table 2?

Answer
The sign of the coefficient A determines whether the parabola is upside down or not. It also deter-
mines the maximum height reached by the object.
The coefficient B denotes the velocity of the object at t = 0
The coefficient C determines the position of the object at t = 0.

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13. Click between the two arrows on the y- axis label and select ”y velocity”. The graph of the vertical
velocity will be displayed. What is the shape of the graph? According to this graph, what type of
motion (uniform or accelerated) is the motion of the ball?
Answer

Figure 09: Velocity vs. time graph

The shape of the concerned graph is linear.

Since the velocity is not constant and decreases with time , the motion is non-uniform.

14. Repeat the steps 10 with corrected initial time for the velocity graph. Record values in Table 3.
Answer

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 Figure 10: Fit Equation

Figure 11: Fit Equation Coefficient Table

15. What is the significance of the coefficients in your fit equation in Table 3 above?
Answer
The coefficient A is the acceleration.
The coefficient B is the velocity of the object at t = 0.
Fit Questions (y-direction):

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 (a) How do the parameters of the respective fits for the graphs compare?
Answer
The Y position fit equation is:

Y = −5.185t2 + 4.045t + 1.622

1st derivative of the above equation gives the velocity of the object in the Y direction:

vy = −5.185 × 2t + 4.045

vy = −10.37t + 4.045 (i)

The velocity fit equation is:

vy = −10.25t + 3.954 (ii)

Comparing (i) and (ii), we get observe:
(10.37 − 10.25)
The coefficient of t differs by × 100% or 1.77%.
10.25
(4.045 − 3.954)
The constant term differs by × 100% or 2.30%
3.954
(b) Is there a relationship between the coefficients on the various graphs? If your answer to (b)is
“no”, would you expect there to be? If your answer to (b) is “yes”, what are the relationships
you observe?
Answer
The coefficient B of the position fit equation denotes the velocity of the object at t = 0.
The coefficient A of the velocity fit equation denotes the acceleration of the object.

16. Cut and paste the following graphs into Microsoft Word.
a) the y-position vs. adjusted time graph (fit included)
b) the y-velocity vs. adjusted time graph (fit included)
Answer
y-position vs time graph:

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 Figure 12: y-position vs adjusted time graph

y-velocity vs. adjusted time graph:

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 Figure 13: y-velocity vs adjusted time graph

C. ANALYZING AND GRAPHING THE HORIZONTAL COMPONENT

OF THE MOTION
17. Click between the two arrows on the y axis and select ”x”. The graph of the horizontal position will
be displayed. What is the shape of the graph? What type of motion (uniform or accelerated) is it?
How can you tell?
Answer
The graph is linear.
Since the position vs time graph is linear, its 1st , which is the velocity of the object, will be constant.
Thus the motion will be uniform.

18. Click and drag on the graph and select the appropriate fit. What kind of curve fit best matched
the graph? Apply the simplest best fit that matches the graph. Record the fit equation and the
corresponding coefficients in Table 4. (you may have less than 3 coefficients; if this is the case, leave
the column blank)
Answer
A linear fit would be the best fit.
The coefficients are:

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 Figure 14: X-position vs adjusted time fit equation coefficient

19. Referring to your prediction in Preliminary Questions, does your selected (experimental) fit equation
agree with the prediction? State below what is similar, and what is different. Record the expected
equation in Table 4.
Answer
The similarity is that both the graphs are linear.
The difference is that the constant term in the theoretical equation is 0 whereas in the experimental
one, it is not.

20. What is the significance of the fit coefficients in the table above?

Answer
The fit coefficient A denotes the velocity of the object in the X direction.

21. Cut and paste the following graphs into Microsoft Word.
the x-position vs. adjusted time graph (fit included)
Answer

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 Figure 15: X-position vs adjusted time graph

D. D. One More Thing. Compare the graph of y-position and x-position.

(a) What is the shape of the x vs. adjusted time graph?
Answer
The shape is linear.
(b) What does this graph represent?
Answer
This represents the horizontal displacement of the object.
(c) What is the difference between this graph and the y-position graph obtained in step (6)?
Answer
This graph is linear whereas the y-position graph is quadratic. This shows that the motion in
the X direction is uniform but the motion in the Y -direction is non-uniform.

Final analysis
1. Using the values from your fit equation, write below the equation of the x-position as a function of
time:
Answer

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 X(t) = 1.428t + 0.7075

2. Using the values from your fit equation, write below the equation of the y-position as a function of
time:
Answer

Y (t) = −5.185t2 + 4.045t + 1.622

3. Using the values from your fit equation, write below the equation of the y-velocity as a function of
time:
Answer

vy (t) = −10.25t + 3.954

4. Using the values from your fit equation, write below the equation of the x-velocity as a function of
time:
Answer

vx (t) = 1.428

5. From the initial velocity values (x- and y- components), estimate the initial angle of the ball when
it leaves the hand. Show your work below!
Answer

Figure 16: Projection angle

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 Initially, i.e. at t = 0, vy == 3.954 and vx = 1.428.
Assume the initial angle is θ
So,
vy
tan θ =
vx
3.954
tan θ =
1.428

tan θ = 2.77

θ = tan−1 (2.77)

θ = 70.15◦
6. The magnitude of the acceleration in y direction should be equal to g = 9.8 m/s2 . How does your
value compare with this value (find the percentage difference)? List some reasons why your values
for the ball’s acceleration on y direction may or may not be different from the accepted value of g.
Answer
The magnitude of the acceleration in the Y -direction found from the fit equation is 10.25 m/s2 . So
the percentage difference is:

(10.25 − 9.81)
% difference = × 100
9.81
= 4.49%
This small difference may arise due to the error in recording the proper data.
7. Sketch a vector (free body) diagram for the forces exerted on ball in flight based on your results.
Answer
The sketch is shown below:

Figure 17: Forces exerted on the ball in flight

The only force exerted on the ball during its flight is its weight w
~ = m~g where m = Mass of the ball.

******************** End of Report ***********************

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