Lab 4: Projectile Motion

Date Performed: March 29th, 2022

Class: PHYS 217

Section: 07209

Group Members:

Justin Pedroza

Hang Nguyen

Jake Truong

Nathan Shroeder

Maria Estrada

Abstract

This experiment aimed to investigate the range of a projectile, which is the horizontal

distance traveled by the projectile from one point to another, from a variety of angles to

determine whether or not the results were consistent with a theoretical model of the projectile.

Newton's first law of motion and the acceleration caused by gravity are notions that impact the

trajectory of a projectile. The PhET’s simulation model is used to explore various elements of

projectile motion and trajectory in this lab. The PhET's simulation had a capability that allowed

us to make the angle to be modified and a little ball that could be placed within. There were six

components to this experiment that we examined. After all six components of the experiment

were examined, we displayed the average values of the angles chosen against the theoretical

model to demonstrate their relationship. The accuracy of this experiment is demonstrated by the
fact that the results are within the +/-5 percent tolerance zones. Any potential sources of

inaccuracy were investigated. As a result of this lab, we had a better grasp of projectile motion.

Theory
Projectile Motion
 

A projectile is defined as, an object thrown with some initial velocity, which is then

allowed to move under the action of gravity alone, without being propelled by any engine or fuel.

Its trajectory is the path followed by a projectile. The projectile moves at a constant speed in the

horizontal direction while experiencing a constant acceleration of 9.8 m/s2 downwards in the

vertical direction. As we define the up or upwards direction to be the positive direction.

Therefore, the acceleration of gravity is in the negative direction based on our assigned axis with

a constant value of 9.8 m/s2.

Horizontal motion of the projectile

 
The speed in the horizontal direction is V x and we note that this speed stays constant

throughout the projectile’s entire range of motion. The equation used to calculate the position at

any time in the horizontal direction is shown below:

x=V x t
 Vertical motion of a projectile

Due to gravity’s downward pull, the vertical velocity changes throughout the entire range

of motion. The equation used to calculate the vertical velocity at any given time is shown below,

V y =V oy −g t
V oy is the initial velocity in the vertical or y-direction. 

To calculate the full distance, the position in the y-direction, we used y o , which represents the

original position in the y-direction. To evaluate this we use the following equation,

1 2
y f = y o +V oy t− g t
2

Acceleration for a projectile near the Earth's surface is the value of gravity in the negative

direction: -9.8 m/s2. We use the value just stated when solving problems. As well as when a

projectile is launched horizontally, a ball rolls off a table, a car runs off the edge of a cliff, etc. 

Here the original or initial y-velocity is zero.

Velocity

To determine the magnitude of a projectile velocity, we can

utilize its horizontal component vector V x and its vertical

component vector V y using the Pythagorean Theorem shown

below:

V = √ V x 2+V y 2
 At Maximum Height
 
A projectile at the maximum height of its trajectory maintains its constant horizontal

velocity (V x ¿ yet its vertical velocity drops to zero ( V y =0 ). Thus the only velocity component

acting on the projectile is its horizontal velocity, V x. Allowing us a piece of supporting evidence

that the horizontal speed does indeed stay constant throughout the projectile’s entire path of

motion. Yet at the top of a projectile's arc we still see that gravity (the projectiles acceleration in

the negative direction) is still being applied towards the earths surface. Thus, the acceleration at

the top is still 9.8 m/s2 in the negative direction showing this is a constant force throughout. To

find the maximum height we can use the equation denoted below:

V o2 sin2 θ
h=
2g
Range of Projectile Motion
 
The entire distance or range (R) a projectile is launched can be determined by using a fairly

simple equation as stated below:

 When a projectile is launched at a steep angle, its max height is much larger and its time

spent in the air is much longer than if it was launched from a smaller angle.

 The max range of a projectile is achieved by a angle of 45 °

2
V o sin θ
R=
g

Measurements and Observation

Part 1
As stated above in this lab we are asked to analyze six steps. In the first step of our experiment,

we look at the projectile's position, velocity, and acceleration. We set the simulation with the

launch height of the cannon at zero meters (flush with the ground surface), a starting angle of

55°, and an initial velocity set at 15m/s. Using the data probe in the simulation, we recorded the

highest point of the cannon ball’s trajectory, the time to reach that point, the landing coordinates

for the cannonball, and the total time in the air. We then used the equations stated above in the

abstract to compare the values obtained by our PhET simulation.

PROJECTILES TRAJECTORY AT 55° ANGLE & 15m/s INITIAL VELOCITY

Simulated Values Calculated Values
Coordinates at Maximum
(10.78, 7.69) (10.79, 7.70)
Height ( Rmid , hmax ¿ meters
Time to Maximum Height (t)
1.25 1.25
seconds
Landing Coordinates (R f , hf )
(21.55, 0) (21.57, 0)
meters
Total time in air (t) seconds 2.51 2.51
Table 1: Simulation and Calculation data of path of travel and time

Figure 1: Trajectory of the cannon

Part 2
In our second step of the experiment, we want to see how the projectile's trajectory would

be affected by changing its initial speed. We used the same launch angle and height from Part 1,
but varied the initial speed of the cannon ball to see how this would effect the projectile’s

trajectory. The data we found is listed below:

Figure 2: Image showing the changing path of travel at different initial velocities.
Range at max Time at max
initial Speed Max Height (y) Range (x) Time at Range
Height Height
5m/s 0.85m 1.2m 0.42s 2.39m 0.84s
10m/s 3.42m 4.79m 0.84s 9.58m 1.67s
15m/s 7.69m 10.78m 1.25s 21.55m 2.51s
18m/s 11.08m 15.52m 1.5s 31.04m 3.01s
20m/s 13.68m 19.16m 1.67s 38.32m 3.34s
Table 2: Simulation data of the paths of travel at various initial speeds

Part 3
The third step is to determine the best initial velocity to maximize height. We again set

the launch height at 0m, and the initial speed at 15m/s, but varied the angle in order to determine

the best angle to achieve the maximum height of the projectile. Below is a list of acquired values

from the simulation as well as obtained through our equations for height stated in abstract.

Launch Max height (y)

Angle Simulated Values Calculated Values Difference
90° 11.47m 11.47m 0.00m
85° 11.38m 11.38m 0.00m
 70° 10.13m 10.13m 0.00m
55° 7.69m 7.70m 0.01m
45° 5.73m 5.73m 0.00m
25° 2.05m 2.05m 0.00m
Table 3: Simulation and Calculation data of heights at different launch angles

Figure 3: Varying launch angle to achieve maximum height.

Part 4
Following this, in step four we have a target practice experiment which is to identify the

orientation needed for the cannon to strike a target. We are asked to set the target at 19.9m from

the launch position with a 0m launch height and initial speed again set to 15m/s and find the

angle that will hit the bullseye. We concluded that both 30° & 60° both hit the bullseye.
 Figure 4: launch angles to strike the middle of the target
After hitting the target and finding 2 different angles which both achieve the same range,

we then experiment with more angles to find different pairs which would also achieve equal

range. By looking at the relationship between these different angles, we see that if two angles are

equally separated from 45°, they will achieve the same range.

Launch Angle Range

25° 17.57m
65° 17.57m
40° 22.59m
50° 22.59m
Table 4a: Simulated data showing different launch angles which achieve equal Range
Figure 4a: Different angles which reach similar range.

Part 5
Next, in part five, we examined the cannon's orientation of the projectile trajectory. We

again began with a launch height of 0m and initial speed of 15m/s, then experimented with

angles that would helps achieve the greatest range. Maximum range was achieved by an angle of

45°.

Launch Angle(o) Max range (m) Max height (m)

35 21.55 4.74

40 22.59 3.77

45 22.94 5.73

50 22.59 6.73

Table 5: Ranges and Max heights at different launch angles.

 Figure 5: Different launch angles reaching different Ranges

After experimenting with different launch angles, we then experiment with different

initial speeds to see how this affects the maximum height and maximum range. Specifically, we

look at the ratio of Maximum Height to Range at 45° across a variety of initial speeds.

Figure 5a: Different initial speeds with the same launch angle
 Initial Speed Max Height
Range
Max Range (m) Ratio ( ¿ Round up ratio (3sigs)
Height
(m/s) (m)

20 40.77 10.19 4.000981 4.00

10 10.19 2.55 3.996078 4.00

12 14.68 3.67 4.000000 4.00

7 4.95 1.29 3.837209 3.84

5 2.55 0.64 3.984375 3.98

Table 5b: Ratio of Max Range to Max Height at different initial speeds

We are then asked to raise the launch height to 10m, with an initial velocity of 15m/s, and

experiment with launch angles to achieve the greatest range from this elevated starting position.

From this height maximum range is achieved at a 35° launch angle, 10° lower (closer to

horizontal) than the 45° launch angle which produced the greatest range when launched from the

ground surface. In figure 5b we see that the lower the launch angle the flatter the trajectory.

Presumably, if we raise the cannon an additional 10m for a total height of 20m, we would see an

even lower launch angle yield the greatest range.

Figure 5b: Launch height set to 10 meters above the ground surface.
Part 6
Finally, to wrap up our experiment in our final step, we briefly examined how the air

resistance on the cannon's orientation affects the projectile's maximum range. Here we set the

launch height back down to 0 m, and our initial speed to 25 m/s. We then launch a simulated

golf ball at 30° and 60°, with and without air resistance selected in the simulation, and compare

the maximum range and time of flight. The choice of a golf ball in this part is because the

object’s lighter weight than the canon ball, which will demonstrate more clearly the air

resistance’s impact on the object’s path. The two main subjects we will discuss on this part will

be the total flight time and their max range.

Figure 6: Comparison of flight paths with air resistance (purple paths) and without (blue paths)
With air resistance Without air resistance

Angle (o) Max range (m) Flight time (s) Max Range (m) Flight time (s)

30 48.08 2.45 55.17 2.55

60 45.97 4.18 55.17 4.41

Table 6: The golf ball’s max range and flight time

Data Analysis and Discussion
In conclusion, once we finished all steps outlined in the lab we analyzed the data from the

simulation and data obtained by our equations and noticed that our calculations provide more

precise values, whereas the simulation provides values to the hundredth (2 decimal places).

However, our calculations are consistent with the simulated data if rounded to the same 2

decimal places. The only real deviation we see is in our Maximum Height calculation from Part

3, which would round to 7.70m. This may be the result of incorrect rounding practices during

our intermediate calculations (i.e. not including enough decimal places), resulting in small

rounding errors. This would suggest the necessity to include several decimal places beyond the

significant figures so as to avoid such rounding errors. We also want to note that Parts 1 through

5 of the lab are performed in the absence of air resistance, eliminating those associated variables.

In Part 2, as explored in our Measurements and Observations, we see that increasing

initial speed raises the maximum height and range of the projectile proportionally, effectively

scaling the parabolic arc of movement according to the change in initial speed.

In Part 3 plugging in different launch angle values to our height equation suggests that a

launch angle of 90° (vertical launch) should see our cannonball achieve its highest possible path

of travel. The simulation confirms this, with both the simulation and calculation resulting in a

maximum height of 11.47 meters, higher than any other launch angle scenarios. Here again we

see our calculations and the simulated data are generally consistent. We see a slight variation at

the 55° setting. As with previous inconsistencies, this may be due to reducing decimal places

during intermediate calculations and may be resolved by reconfiguring intermediate calculations

to a greater degree of precision.

 In Part 4 The simulation allows us to adjust the launch angle in only 5° increments, so

accuracy is limited. However, based on our calculation, we see that a range of 19.9m can be

achieved at 60.2° or 29.8°, so 60° and 30° in the simulation land the cannonball very close to the

bullseye.

In Part 5 starting from a 35° launch angle and working our way up, we find that 45°

yields the greatest range of 22.94 meters, with the range dropping as the launch angle merges

away from 45°.

In this experiment, it appears that, at any initial speed, the ratio of Range to Height seems

to stay around a 4:1 ratio. While this does seem to waiver as initial velocity drops below 12m/s,

it can’t be said that the ratio decreases with relation to speed, as the ratio for 5m/s is greater than

the ratio at 7m/s. This variation is more likely due to the imprecision of the simulator’s data,

with measurements accurate only to 1 centimeter.

In part 6 with the addition of air resistance, the first, and perhaps most predictable, the

difference is the reduced range at either angle coupled with shorter flight times respectively.

Another key difference is the difference in range for either angle in the presence of air resistance.

Without air resistance, 30° and 60° both achieve equal range. However, when air resistance is

introduced, the 60° launch angle lands short of its 30° counterpart. This is likely due to the

longer flight time, allowing air resistance to have a greater overall affect on the ball as it travels.

The impact of air resistance will however be discussed in greater detail as we progress into the

later chapters of our book.