Anh Nguyen

C02287240
Experimen #4
Maximizing the Range of a Projectile
I.

Introduction
The purpose of this experiment was to experimentally measure
the angle for maximum range of a projectile using the built-in
protractor and plump bob on the side of the launcher. From the motion
of a steel ball projected horizontally, the average initial velocity of the
ball was determined from the measured range. Then, the projectile
range were measured with various initial angles and calculated by
apply the theory for motion with a constant acceleration.

II. Procedures and descriptions

Part A: Determining the initial speed v0 of the ball
1. Clamp the spring gun to the edge of the table with the muzzle
pointing toward the table. Make sure that the cannon is
horizontal and the gun is not pointing to any human.
2. Use the first setting of the spring gun. Load the projectile into
the gun by pushing it until a click.
3. Adjust the pointer so that it indicates Oo . Leave the gun in
this position; make sure all screws and tabs are tight. Fire the
gun by pulling up on the release lever, pay attention to where
the ball lands.
4. Tape down a piece of paper on the table where the ball
landed, and tape a piece of carbon paper, carbon side down,
on top of the scratch paper.
5. Locate the point on the table directly under the point where
the ball leaves the gun by a straight ruler, mark this point by a
tape on the table surface. Measure the height h from the
bottom of the ball to the table surface in centimeters.
6. Place a backstop beyond the landing point. Firing the gun 5
times.
7. Pull up the carbon paper but leave the scratch paper on the
table surface. Use the two-meter stick to measure the range R

from the launch point (the marked point where the ball leaves
the gun) to each mark on the scratch paper in centimeters.
Part B: Investigation of the range versus launch angle
1. For the same speed and height used in part A, repeat step 2-7
from part A except measuring the height h because the height
and initial speed are the same.
2. To change the launch angle, adjust the gun by the built-in
protractor and plumb bob on the side of the launcher for 8
different angles: 30 , 35 , 40 , 43 , 45 ,50 ,55 , 60 .
3. For each launch angle, fire the gun 5 times. Measure the
range R from the launch point to where the ball lands like in
part A each time.
4. Calculating average range from 5 trials for each launch angle.
Put in data of average range in cm and launching angle in
degrees into Data Studio for graph 1 (average range as y-axis
and launch angle as x-axis).
5. In the parabola graph, zoom in to see clearly the maximum
point. Click on that point to observe the angle that yields the
maximum range.
III.Data and Graphs: see attachments
IV. Analysis
Part A:
The initial speed of the ball was calculated with the formula:
g
v 0 =R
2h
where R= the range of the ball, h= height of the ball at its initial

position from the landing level, g= 980 cm/s2

The average range of the ball from 5 trials:
36.70+ 36.60+ 36.70+36.90+37.10
Rave=
=36.80 cm
5
The average initial speed v0:
980
= 299.454 cm/s = 299 cm/s
v 0 =36.80
2 7.40
Part B:
As seen in graph 1, a parabola graph was draw by analyzing the

data point on the graph. This graph suggests that there is an

increase in range up to around 40 to 45 degrees but then there is a

decrease.
Based on the graph, the launch angle

, that yields the

maximum range Rexp = 99.12 cm, is 41.69o.

The theoretical value of the range Rtheory was calculated by the
following equation:
Rtheory =

v 20 sin ( 2 )
2 gh
1+ 1+ 2 2
2g
v 0 sin ()

where height h was measured in part A,

was the launch angle

that yields maximum range, v0 was the calculated average initial

speed in part A.
The maximum theoretical range :
Rtheory =

299.454 2 sin(2 41.69)

2 980 7.40
1+ 1+
2 980
299.454 2 sin2 (41.69)

= 98.5551

cm = 98.56 cm
The % error between theoretical and experimental values of the
maximum range: % error =

( 99.1298.5551
) 100
98.5551

R experimentR theory
100
R theory

= 0.573 %

Based on the % error, the experimental range is very close to the

theory range, only 0.573 % error. It means that our experiment is
successful; there was no major error on setting up apparatus and
record measurements. The reason why experimental range and
theory range are not perfectly matched may be because of air
friction.
V. Conclusion
In this lab, the range of a projectile was maximized by measuring
the initial
average velocity and the average range of the projectile for various
launching angles. The angle of launch, 41.69o, resulted in the farthest

range was 99.12 cm experimentally and 98.56 cm theoretically. The %

error between theoretical and experimental values of the maximum
range is low, 0.573 %. Even though the % error show that our
experiment is good, mistakes may have been made during recording
measurements. Height, range and angle should be read very carefully.