Lab.

Experiment ___
PHYSICS Virtual Lab on Projectile Motion
CN____ Name ___________________________________________ Section _______________ Date _______________ Score __________________

I. Objective:
In this activity the students will be able to determine the effect of the mass, initial velocity, angle of release
and air resistance to the motion of a projectile.
II. Materials: Computer based simulation activity using java applet.
III. Procedure:

A. Effect of the Mass to the Motion of a Projectile

1. Open the link https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/projectile-motion/latest/projectile-motion_en.html
2. Do not check the box titled “ Air Resistance”
3. In the initial velocity box, type in the initial velocity of 30 m/s.
4. In the angle box type in 45⁰
5. In the mass box, type in 5 kg.
6. Press the “fire” button to launch the first projectile. Record the necessary data.
7. Change the mass of the projectile as indicated in the table below and record the necessary data which you
can find on the screen. DO NOT CHANGE THE OTHER VARABLES.

TABLE A: Mass of a Projectile

Mass of Projectile (kg) Maximum Range (m) Maximum Height (m) Total Time (s)

10
20
30
40
50

Question:
1. How does the mass of a projectile affect the range, height, final velocity and the time of flight of a projectile?

B. Effect of the Initial Velocity to the Motion of a Projectile

1. Open the link
http://galileoandeinstein.physics.virginia.edu/more_stuff/Applets/Projectile/projectile.html
2. Do not check the box entitled “ Air Resistance”
3. In the velocity box type in the initial velocity of 10m/s.
4. In the mass box, type in 50 kg.
5. Press the “fire” button to launch the first projectile. Record the necessary data.
6. Change the initial velocity of the projectile as indicated in the table below and record the necessary data
which you can find on the screen. DO NOT CHANGE THE OTHER VARABLES.

TABLE B: Initial velocity of a Projectile

Initial Velocity Maximum Range Maximum Height Final Velocity Total Time (s)
(m/s) (m) (m) (m/s)
10
20
30
40
50

Question:
1. How does the initial velocity of a projectile affect the range, height, final velocity and the time of flight of a
projectile?

2. Compare the initial velocity and final velocity of a projectile.

 C. Effect of the angle of launch to the Motion of a Projectile
1. Refresh the Web page.
2. Do not check the box titled “ Air Resistance”
3. In the initial velocity box, type in the initial velocity of 50 m/s.
4. In the angle box type in 10⁰
5. In the mass box, type in 50 kg.
6. Press the “fire” button to launch the first projectile. Record the necessary data.
7. Change the angle of launch of the projectile as indicated in the table below and record the necessary data
which you can find on the screen. DO NOT CHANGE THE OTHER VARABLES.

TABLE C: Angle of Launch of a Projectile

Angle of Launch Maximum Range Maximum Height Final Velocity
Total Time (s)
(degrees) (m) (m) (m/s)
10
20
30
40
45
50
60
70
80

Questions:
1. At what angle was the maximum range reach? _____________
2. At what angle as the maximum height achieved? _____________
3. At what angle was the greatest hang time achieved? _____________
4. Fill in the maximum range reached for these pairs of launch angles.
a. 10⁰ = _______ m and 80⁰ = ________ m c. 30⁰ = _______ m and 60⁰ = ________ m
b. 20⁰ = _______ m and 70⁰ = ________ m d. 40⁰ = _______ m and 50⁰ = ________ m

5. What pattern is observed for these angles and their maximum ranges?

6. What is the sum of these paired angles? ___________

IV. Conclusion
State the major ideas you learned about projectile motion from this virtual lab investigation in your own words:
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