PROJECTILE MOTION (example lab Report)

• A good projectile motion can often be obtained with the assumption that air resistance is
absent.

• In the absent of the air resistance the moving object does not slow down in the
horizontal (x) direction.

• x component of the acceleration is ax =0

• The velocity of x component remains the same as its initial value.

• In the vertical (y) direction the projectile experiences the effect of gravity.

• The acceleration due to the gravity.

• Projectile motion means that ax= 0 and ay equal to the acceleration due to gravity
(9.80 m/s). The range is the horizontal distance traveled between launching and landing,
assuming the projectile returns to the same vertical level at which it launch.

Total Mechanical Energy

• Total mechanical energy is the sum of the kinetic energy and potential energy, and it
obeys the principle of conservation of mechanical energy.

• This principle in situations where there is only translation motion, as when a sled slides
down a frictionless hill.

• Total mechanical energy, Ef at the bottom (hf = 0) is the same as the total mechanical
energy E0 at the top. (h = h0, v0 = 0,ω0 = 0 )

½mvf2 + Iωf 2 + mghf = ½mv02 + ½Iω02 + mgh0

½mvf2 + ½Iωf2 = mgh0

• Since each cylinder rolls without slipping the final rotational speed, ωf and the final
translational speed, vf of its center of mass (ωf = v f /r ) where r is the radius of the
cylinder.
 • So,

½mvf2 + ½Iωf2 = mgh0

½mvf2 + ½I(vf/r)2 = mgh0

½vf2 (m + I/r2) = mgh0

vf2 =

• Hollow cylinder m = mh , r = rh and I = mrh2

• Solid cylinder m = mc , r =rc and I = ½ mrc2

• Solid sphere m = ms , r =rs and I = ⅖ mrs2

The translation speed at the bottom of the incline. From the equation,

Hollow cylinder Vf = o

Vf =

= o

Solid Cylinder Vf = o

Vf =

= o
 Solid sphere Vf = o

Vf =

= o

The solid cylinder having the greatest translational speed and arrives at the bottom first.
Principle of Conservation of Energy

Aim : To determine the velocity of the moving object and how far it can reach to the

ground.

Apparatus : Stop watch, curve rail, marble, cylinder and

circle object.

Materials : Plasticine, box

Procedure : 1. Set up the below apparatus.

2. The lower end of the track must be horizontal.

Object

Curve Rail

Table Plasticine

Box

3. Release the marble (solid sphere) from the top of the rail and set the time

as the marble reach at the end of the rail until it touch the plasticine on the

floor. Repeat this step 3 times.

4. Repeat this step with another material with the thin- walled hollow cylinder

and the solid cylinder and set the time exactly the same as the above step.

5. Measure the R from the table to the landing surface.

Theory Projectile Motion

From the law of conservation of energy, the potential energy of a body of mass, m equals its
kinetic energy that is ;

mgh = ½ mvx2 (1.1)

Where m= the mass of the body

g = the acceleration due to the gravity

h = the height of the body

vx= the velocity of the body

A body which is moving in a projectile motion with velocity of vx will have a range of:

R = vx t (1.2)

vx= the velocity of the body

t = time taken

Result

Time (s),+ 0.01 Range ,R (cm), + 0.1

Object 1 2 3 Average 1 2 3 Average
Solid cylinder 0.19 0.22 0.23 0.21 86.9 85.9 82.7 86.5
Thin walled hollow 0.24 0.20 0.20 0.21 59.4 60.6 58.9 59.6
cylinder
Solid sphere 0.17 0.18 0.20 0.18 87.4 89.9 87.4 88.2

From the experiment, the speed at a curve rail:

V solid cylinder = R/t

= 86.5 / 0.21

= 411.9 cm/s

V hollow cylinder = R/t

= 59.6 / 0.21

= 283.8 cm/s

V solid sphere = R/t

= 88.2 / 0.18

= 490.0 cm/s

From the experiment, the height of a table is 0.842 m. The translation speed at the bottom of the
incline:

Hollow cylinder Vf = o

Vf =

= 2.87 m/s

Solid Cylinder Vf = o

Vf =

=
 =

=3.30 m/s

Solid sphere Vf = o

Vf =

= 4.05 m/s

Conclusion :

1. The solid sphere has a greater speed then solid cylinder and hollow cylinder.

2. From the experiment, the value of speed at curve rail is not same then the value of
translation speed at the bottom of the incline. It is because the different object
influences the value of friction.