Introduction

In this web drop in, students will examine projectile motion. Students will predict how air resistance affects a projectile and will use a simulation to   test their prediction.

Information

Projectile motion is motion with a horizontal and vertical component. The path of a golf ball hit in the air is an example of projectile motion. Gravity plays a big part in projectile motion, causing the object to travel in an arc. In this activity, you will examine projectile motion and see how air resistance affects a projectile.

Here is the web site we will be using for this activity:  Explore Science

Activity

1.    Click on the TRAILS button to show the path of the ball when it is launched.
2.    Adjust the angle and velocity to get the ball into the hole.
3.    To clear the ball trails, click on the TRAILS button to clear. Click on TRAILS again to show the ball path of your shots.
4.    Answer question # 1 below.
5.    Click on the no air button. Compare the path of the ball with air and without air using the same angle and velocity.
 

Questions - answer in sentence form in your lab book.

1.    Will the ball travel longer, shorter, or the same distance without air resistance as it did with air resistance? Explain your answer.

2.    What is the affect of air on the motion of a projectile?

3.    What two variables did you adjust to change the path of the projectile?

4.    What would the path of the ball be without gravity?