Experiment 1 Distance Traveled by a Projectile In this experiment you will use kinematic equations to predict the range of a projectile set in motion To do this you will roll marbles down a ramp and off a table to observe vertical and horizontal motion Materials Sheet of Carbon Paper 1 Fishing Sinker Masking Tape 1 Marble Monofilament Line 1 Protractor 1 Ramp Sheet of Printer Paper Tape Measure Pencil Table You Must Provide Note You will need to construct the ramp provided in your lab kit prior to beginning the experiment To do this complete the following steps Ramp Set Up Figure 4 1 Separate the two pieces one long and narrow piece to provide the ramp and Figure 4 Ramp set up diagram one wider piece to provide the base 2 Fold the wider section along the perforations to form a triangular stand 3 Insert the tab through the slot to construct a triangular stand Figure 4 Part 2 2014 eScience Labs LLC All Rights Reserved 4 Insert the tab on long narrow piece into one of three slots on the triangular stand Different slots correspond to different inclines Procedure 1 Find a table upon which to perform the experiment Place the ramp so that its bottom edge is positioned at the edge of the table You will be rolling marbles down the ramp and off the table in this experiment 2 Use a protractor to measure the incline of your ramp Record the incline in Table 1 3 Use a pencil to mark three different locations on the ramp at which you will release the marble This will ensure the marble achieves the same velocity with each trial Hint Use locations near the top middle and bottom of the ramp 4 Create a plumb line by attaching the fishing sinker to the monofilament line 5 Hold the string to the edge of the table and use a piece of masking tape to mark the spot at which the weight touches the ground Note The length of the plumb line will help you measure the exact distance from the edge of the ramp to the position where the marble lands 6 Begin the experiment by releasing the marble from the first position you marked on the ramp in Step 3 In other words release the marble from the highest position which you marked on the ramp 7 Carefully observe where the marble hits the ground and place a piece of white printer paper at that location Secure the paper to the ground with a small piece of masking tape Make sure the paper can moved when the different ramp positions are tested Try to center the printer paper over the spot where the marble hit the floor 8 Set the carbon paper on the printer paper so that the light side faces up When the marble hits the carbon paper it will leave a mark on the printer paper 9 Place the marble at the same drop mark you just tested and release it 10 Observe and measure the distance traveled to the first mark made on the printer paper using the tape measure The mark may be faint but it will be visible Record this value in Table 1 11 Once you have recorded the distance in Table 1 put an X over the mark you just measured so you do not reuse it 12 Repeat Steps 9 10 three more times and record your data in Table 1 13 Repeat Steps 6 12 for the remaining two ramp distances you marked in Step 2 Record you results for the second ramp distance in Table 2 and the third ramp distance in Table 3 14 Save the printer paper The unused side will be used in the next experiment 2014 eScience Labs LLC All Rights Reserved Table 1 Range and Velocity of Projectile at Ramp Distance 1 Ramp Incline degrees 30 Ramp Distance m 0 8 m Trial Measured Distance m 1 1 35 m 2 1 35 m 3 1 30 m 4 1 36 m Average 1 34 m Table 2 Range and Velocity of Projectile at Ramp Distance 2 Ramp Distance m 1 0 m Trial Measured Distance m 1 1 60 m 2 1 52 m 3 1 57 m 4 1 55 m Average 1 56 m Table 3 Range and Velocity of Projectile at Ramp Distance 3 Ramp Distance m 1 2 m Trial Measured Distance m 2014 eScience Labs LLC All Rights Reserved 1 1 71 m 2 1 77 m 3 1 72 m 4 1 83 m Average 1 76 m Post Lab Questions 1 Use your predictions of velocity and range from the Pre Lab Questions and the data recorded from your experiment to complete Table 4 Table 4 Velocity and Range Data for all Ramp Distances Ramp Distance m Calculated velocity m s Predicted Range m Average Actual Range m Percent Error 0 8 m 4 56 m s 0 8 m 0 7257 m 10 23 1 0 m 5 30 m s 1 0 m 0 984 m 1 65 1 2 m 5 99 m s 1 2 m 1 2522 m 4 17 2 How do your predictions compare to the observed data Explain at least two reasons for the differences 3 If you were to fire a paintball pellet horizontally and at the same time drop the same type of paintball pellet you fired from the paintball gun which pellet would hit the ground first and why is this so 4 Suppose you altered your existing ramp so that the marbles had twice their initial velocity right before leaving the ramp How would this change the total distance traveled and the time that the marbles were in the air 2014 eScience Labs LLC All Rights Reserved 5 Describe the acceleration of the marbles after it leaves the ramp Use kinematic equations to support your discussion 2014 eScience Labs LLC All Rights Reserved
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