Investigating Projectile Motion
1
dd
Investigating Projectile Motion
Name:
Date:
Class:
Instructions:
Follow the steps of the scientific method to complete the investigation. At the end of the investigation,
use the rubric to evaluate your performance.
Ask a Question
What effect does the launch angle have on the range of a projectile?
Form a Hypothesis
Write a hypothesis to predict what you think the answer to the question will be and explain it with
scientific ideas.
 If the launch angle is getting higher and higher the projectile range will decrease.
 If the launch angle is at a lower and lower the range will decrease
 if the launch angle is mid (roughly 45 degrees) the projectile will have the furthest range.
Identify Variables
Identify the independent variable, the dependent variable, and the controlled variables in your
experiment.
Which variable are you changing?
Which variable are you measuring or observing?
Launching angle
Range
Which variables should remain the same during this experiment?
initial velocity and height of cannon
Musallam Salem Alseyabi
dd
Investigating Projectile Motion
Name:
Date:
Class:
Test Your Hypothesis
Method
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Set the initial velocity to 30 m/s.
Set the gravity to 9.8 m/s2.
Set the cannon height to 2 m.
Set the launch angle to 0°.
Press the play button to launch the projectile.
Record the range achieved by the projectile in the table below.
Increase the launch angle by 5° and press play again to launch the new projectile.
Record the projectile’s range again in the table below.
Keep repeating steps 7 and 8, increasing the launch angle by 5° each time till you reach 90°.
Fill in the table below with your observations.
Collect Data
Collect the range values from the outputs in the simulation and add them in the table below.
Angle
(°)
Range
(m)
0
5
10
15
19.
1
28.6
5
40.
2
52.
4
2
0
6
4
25
30
74.
4
82.
8
3
5
8
9
40
45
92.
7
93.
7
5
0
9
2
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
87.
6
80.
6
71.
2
59.
7
46.
4
31.7
4
16.
1
Analyze Data
 Copy the graph below.
 Give your graph a title and label the axes. Remember to put the independent variable on the xaxis and the dependent variable on the y-axis.
 Choose a suitable scale for both axes.
 Plot the data in your table onto your graph. Use your ruler to plot each data point accurately.
Musallam Salem Alseyabi
9
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0
dd
Investigating Projectile Motion
Name:
Musallam Salem Alseyabi
Date:
Class:
dd
Investigating Projectile Motion
Name:
Date:
Class:
Data Analysis Questions
1. At which launch angle was the range maximum?
At 45°
2. Describe how the range varies as the launch angle increases from 0° to 90°. Across which launch angles’
values is the range increasing and/or decreasing. Look at your table to make an accurate statement.
From 0° to 45° the range is increasing and it is maximum at 45°.
From 45° to 90° the range becomes decrease as the angle increase and range is 0 at 90°.
3. Based on the simulation and your observations, make a claim about the mathematical
relationship between a projectile’s launching angle and its range. Support your claim with
evidence.
When the launching angle increases from 0° to 45° the value of the range is calculated
19.1 m to 97.3 m. at 45° the value of the range is maximum and when the launching angle
is between 45° to 90° the range decrease and finally comes to zero. (
Draw Conclusions
1. Look back at your graph and your answers in the analysis questions and write a conclusion that fully
describes the results of your investigation including a scientific explanation for them. Make sure to compare
the results to your hypothesis.
This investigation illustrates the relationship between the launching angle and the range of a projectile motion.
The range of a projectile motion is increase between 0° and 45°, and decrease between 45° and 90°. At 45° the
range is maximum. The range of projectile motion is calculated by R= 𝑉𝑜 𝑐𝑜𝑠∅ ∗ [𝑉𝑜 𝑠𝑖𝑛∅ +
√(𝑉0 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 ∅ + 2 ∗ 𝑔 ∗ ℎ)]/𝑔)
Musallam Salem Alseyabi
Investigating Projectile Motion
dd
Name:
Date:
Class:
Evaluate
Rubric: Use the rubric to evaluate your performance by choosing one number for each criteria and recording it in
the “Score” column.
Scoring Scale
Criteria
1
2
3
I am unsure of
the aim of the
experiment
or have not
written a
hypothesis.
I have written a
brief
hypothesis
but
incorrectly
used or not
structured.
I have written a
clear hypothesis
with some
structure.
I have not followed
the steps of the
given method.
I have followed
some of the steps
but did not
complete the
investigation.
I have followed
most of the
steps but have
not completed
investigation for
all angle values.
I have followed all
of the steps of
the given
method.
I have recorded
some data from
my investigation
using a table.
I have recorded
most of the data
using a table.
I have recorded
all data from my
investigation
using a table.
4
I have drawn a
graph but have
not labelled the
axes or given my
graph a title.
I have drawn a
graph but have
incorrectly
labelled the axes
or title.
I have correctly
plotted a graph of
my data, including
an accurate title
and axes labels
with their units.
4
I have answered
some of the data
analysis
questions, but
only with brief
sentences.
I have answered
all of the data
analysis
questions but
have not used
scientific
evidence.
I have given
detailed answers
to the data
analysis
questions,
correctly using
scientific
evidence.
4
Form a
Hypothesis
Method
Collect Data
I have not recorded
any data from my
investigation.
Plotting Data
I have not drawn a
graph to analyze my
data.
Analyze Data
I have not
answered any of
the data analysis
questions.
Musallam Salem Alseyabi
4
I have written a
clear, structured, and
testable hypothesis
that describes the
aim of the
experiment and lists
the independent, the
dependent, and any
control variables.
Score
3
4
Investigating Projectile Motion
dd
Name:
Draw
Conclusions
Date:
I have shown a
limited
understanding of
the results of the
investigation and
have not given an
explanation for
them.
Musallam Salem Alseyabi
I have shown a
good
understanding of
the results of the
investigation and
have given a
brief, general
explanation for
them.
Class:
I have shown a
good
understanding of
the results of the
investigation and
have given a
good explanation
for them. I have
also compared
the results to my
hypothesis.
I have shown a
great
understanding of
the results of the
investigation and
have given a
good explanation
for them that uses
scientific
terminology. I
have also
compared the
results to my
hypothesis.
3