"Shoot for your Grade"
Obj: Predict the landing spot of a projectile
launched horizontally from an elevated platform.
Materials: incline, steel ball, stopwatch, meter stick
Methods
IMPORTANT: The steel ball must never leave the table when
taking data. Only
when you are ready to shoot for your grade will the ball be
allowed to land on the floor.
1. Roll the steel ball down the ramp several
times, recording the necessary data to determine the average
speed at which it will be launched horizontally off the table.
2. Take any measurements needed to calculate
the time of free fall for the projectile to hit the floor.
3. Using the launch velocity and calculated time,
predict by calculation the landing spot of your
projectile. Measure
this calculated distance from a spot on the floor directly below
the edge of the table.
Place the target sheet at this position, making sure the
ball=s
velocity vector is aligned with the center of the paper.
4. Call over the physics teacher before firing
the projectile for your grade.
The target sheet gives you your grade.
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