Name
Period
Date
Projectile Motion Activity
Projectile Range vs. Angle
Purpose
The purpose of this experiment is to create graphical and mathematical
representations of the relationship between the range of a ball and the angle at
which it is launched. The angle that gives the greatest range is also determined
when launching on a level table.




Be sure that the launcher is slid all the way back so that the square nut in the
T-slot is positioned as near as possible to the muzzle as in the diagram. In this
configuration the launcher will shoot from table height.
Put the steel ball into the Mini Launcher and then use the plunger to cock it to the
long-range position (3 clicks).
For each angle, fire one shot to locate where the ball hits the table. At this
position, tape a piece of white paper to the table. (One small piece of tape
should suffice!) Place, do not tape, a piece of carbon paper (carbon-side down)
on top of this paper. When the ball hits the table, it will leave a mark on the white
paper.
Be sure all ranges are measured in meters.
Angle
(degrees)
0
10.
20.
30.
45
60.
70.
80.
90.

Range (m)
Trial 3
Trial 4
Trial 1
Trial 2
0
0
0
0
0
0
Trial 5
Average
0
0
0
0
0
0
Open the LoggerPro file Projectile Range vs. Angle and graph.
Projectile Motion Activity
page 2
Sketch the graphs and record the linear fit data from the linear graph.
Questions
1. Describe what happens to the range as 2. What angle results in the longest
the angle increases.
range?
3. What happens to the
initial vertical velocity as
the angle increases?
4. What happens to the
5. What happens to the
maximum height the ball
time of flight as the
reaches as the angle
angle increases? Why?
increases? Why?
6. List all pairs of angles that result in
basically the same range.
7. What is the pattern that predicts the
results of #6?