Lab Projectile Motion Student Lab Report

Lab Projectile Motion Student Lab Reportin This Lab Activity You Wi

In this lab activity, you will investigate the motion of a horizontally launched projectile. The materials include a marble or small ball, stopwatch, small weight, table, book or block, string or fishing line, meter stick, ruler with a groove, masking or painter’s tape, a small weight or plumb bob, a calculator, and carbon paper. The procedure involves setting up a ramp at an appropriate angle for a smooth transition to the table, ensuring the marble has a reasonable initial velocity, and measuring the distances and times as the marble rolls and falls. Multiple trials should be conducted for different ramp inclines, recording the horizontal distances, fall distances, and times, to calculate average velocities and falling times. The analysis includes calculating the average time for the marble to cross the table, its velocity, and the gravitational fall time, with data from various trials and ramp positions.

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The investigation of projectile motion through a controlled laboratory setup provides critical insights into kinematic principles, specifically the relationship between horizontal velocity and vertical acceleration under gravity. This experiment involves launching a marble horizontally from a ramp and measuring various parameters to quantify its motion and validate physics theories.

The core premise hinges on understanding that when an object is launched horizontally, the vertical motion is independent of the horizontal velocity, which remains constant in the absence of air resistance. The experimental approach begins with designing a ramp that facilitates a consistent initial speed for the marble, followed by a series of trials where the marble's motion across a table and its subsequent fall are precisely measured. The setup includes a ruler with a groove for the marble to roll smoothly, ensuring minimal friction and a predictable initial velocity. Extending the ramp and adjusting its incline allows manipulation of the initial horizontal velocity, critical for analyzing the motion under different conditions.

The procedure emphasizes accuracy and consistency. First, the ramp is securely taped in position, with measurement markers applied near the starting point and edge of the table to record launch distances precisely. The height of the table from the floor is measured to determine vertical fall distance, which is essential for calculating falling time and gravitational acceleration. Prior to beginning detailed measurements, a trial run helps to identify the approximate impact point on the floor, where a piece of carbon paper marks the landing location for each trial. Multiple launches are performed at each ramp position to ensure reproducibility, with the landing points marked and measured to obtain the projectile range.

Utilizing a plumb line, the vertical distance from the table's edge to the mark on the floor is measured, providing the horizontal range. Modifying the ramp's incline alters the initial velocity, which is recorded along with the time taken for the marble to cross the table for each trial. The average of these times and velocities are then used to compute the vertical fall time, providing data to compare with theoretical predictions based on kinematic equations.

Data analysis involves calculating the mean time for the marble to traverse the horizontal distance, using this to determine its horizontal velocity, and then computing the free fall time from the measured vertical distance. These calculations verify that the horizontal velocity remains approximately constant during the flight and allow for an estimation of gravitational acceleration. Repeating the experiment at different ramp inclines enables analysis of how initial velocity influences the projectile range, confirming the proportionality between initial speed and horizontal displacement.

The experiment reinforces fundamental physics concepts such as the independence of vertical and horizontal motions, constant horizontal velocity, and the uniform acceleration due to gravity. Careful measurements and repeated trials improve accuracy and enable a robust comparison between experimental data and theoretical models, illustrating the predictive power of physics equations in real-world motion scenarios.

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