OAKLAND TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL
SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
AP Physics
Name
Lab Investigation
Projectile Motion
Date
Introduction. During this lab investigation, you will make time, distance, and angle measurements related to
the motion of a projectile. You will also do some calculations with these measurements in order to study
how they are related. Finally, you will use the relationships (equations) that you discover in order to hit a
target with your projectile.
Day 1.
Team members:
Materials:
Projectile Launcher
Projectile (black ball)
Timer with 1 photogate
Tape measure
Masking tape
1.
2.
3.
Label your projectile launcher with masking tape so you can use the same one tomorrow.
Attach the photogate to your projectile launcher so that you can measure the initial time interval
for the projectile. Measure the time interval for the projectile to pass through the photogate. Use
this to calculate the initial velocity for your projectile launcher. Do this for 3 different launch angles,
to determine whether the launch angle affects the initial velocity. (You will need to share the
photogate with another team.)
Make distance measurements for each of the latch positions using a single angle. Then, make 3
more sets of measurements for 3 different launch angles.
Angle
Notch 1
Notch 2
Notch 3
Notch 4
Notch 5
Angle 1:
Angle 2:
Angle 3:
Angle 4:
4.
What is the maximum range for your projectile launcher? What angle and latch position did you
use to get this range?
5.
Find a combination of angle and latch position that will let you hit a target exactly 6.0 m from the
launcher.