Engineering Calculus Peer Led Session Projectile Motion Reference: Section 2.

3 Pre-Assignment: Read the "Why" section and complete questions 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the Activity. Why? The motion of an object projected into the air at an angle is called projectile motion in both the scientific and the engineering communities. Shooting fireworks, forcing water through a fountain, firing a bullet with a gun, and launching the space shuttle into the air are all familiar examples of projectile motion. The mathematics behind projectile motion can seem confusing to students, because the projected object is moving in both vertical and horizontal directions at the same moment in time. Once a student understands the physics that governs projectile motion and the mathematics used for calculations he/she can not only solve classroom problems, but can apply this knowledge to creating and analyzing real world objects in motion. Activity A can is suspended from a magnet 4 meters above the floor and a person standing 8 meters away aims a pellet gun directly at the can. The firing end of the pellet gun is about 1.7 meters above the floor. At the same instance that the gun is shot, the magnet releases the can. Does the pellet hit the can? Work through the activity to find out. Model 1 :

sight line of

4m

16.04 1.7 m

0m

8m

The pellet: First, let's examine the trajectory of the pellet. For our purposes, we will assume that any effect that the air has on the pellet is negligible. Since the pellet's position at time t is a function of its distance from the gun and height above the ground, we will examine the horizontal and vertical components of its position. 1) The angle of elevation is the angle between the horizontal and the end of the gun. What is the angle of elevation in model 1?

Model 2:
v0= /s 30 m

pellet g = 9.8 m/s2

16.04 vh

vv

v 0= initial velocity v h= horizontal component of velocity v v = vertical component of velocity g = gravity horizotal position of pellet: sh(t) = 30[cos(16.04)]t vertical position of pellet: sv(t) = 30[sin(16.04)]t 4.9t2 + 1.7

2) If the pellet is fired with an initial velocity of 30 meters per second,and at an angle of 16.04 with the horizontal, what are the numerical values of the vertical and horizontal components of the initial velocity?

3) Use the equations in Model 2 to find the horizontal and vertical positions of the pellet at time t = 0 .

4) Are your answers to question 3 consistent with the picture in Model 1? 5) Find the first and second derivatives of sh(t).

6) Find the first and second derivatives of sv(t).

7) Given the fact that gravity causes falling objects to accelerate to the ground at a rate of -9.8m/s2, does the result for the second derivative of sv seem reasonable? Explain.

Equation Horizontal position of the pellet Horizontal velocity of the pellet Horizontal acceleration of the pellet Vertical position of the pellet Vertical velocity of the pellet Vertical acceleration of the pellet sh(t) = 30[cos(16.04)] t

Initial position

Initial velocity

Acceleration due to gravity

= a factor that influences the given equation = a factor that does not influence the given equation 8) Fill out the table above. 9) What factors (initial position, initial velocity, acceleration due to gravity) influence both the horizontal and vertical position of the pellet?

10) What factor influences the vertical position of the pellet but not the horizontal position of the pellet? Explain why.

Now let us examine the can. 11) Use Model 1 to find the initial horizontal and vertical positions of the can. 12) What is the initial velocity of the can?

13) Based on the factors affecting the horizontal and vertical position of the pellet, find equations for the horizontal and vertical positions of the can.

14) At which time is the horizontal position of the pellet equal to the horizontal position of the can?

15) Use your answers to questions 13 and 14 to determine if the pellet hit the can.

Exercise 1) Rank the situations below according to the final speeds (magnitude of the final velocity) of the projectiles before they land, greatest first. In all three situations, the projectiles have the same initial velocity and have achieved maximum height prior to landing. (a) A baseball is thrown at a 23 angle above the ground and is caught at the same height as it was thrown. (b) A cannon on top of a cliff that is 200m above sea level fires a ball at a 23 angle above the horizontal and hits a pirate ship km away. (c) An arrow is shot at a 23 angle above level ground 50m from the base of a hill and lands 10m uphill.

Problem During a baseball game, a left handed pitcher throws a baseball horizontally at a speed of 155 km/h. The distance to the batter is 18.3m. How long does the ball take to travel the first half of the distance? The second half? How far does the ball fall in the first and second half of the distance? Draw: Sketch a picture of the situation.

Data List: List the given data and include any necessary equations. Be sure to include any given units.

Guess: Do you think that the time that the ball takes to cover the first half of the distance will take longer, shorter, or the same time as compared to the second half?

Solve:

Discuss: Why aren't the quantities in the last question equal?

Engineering Calculus Peer Led Session Projectile Motion Activity Report We verify that we all understand and agree with the solutions to these questions. Team #: Manager: Recorder: Spokesperson: Strategy Analyst: Critical Thinking Questionsto be completed by the recorder. Your peer leader will instruct you on how to fill out this section.

For Instructors Use Only All questions filled out Names and U numbers printed on activity report Critical Thinking fully justified and written in complete sentences Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory

Reflection on Learning---to be completed by the Strategy Analyst. Explain from a physics point of view why it makes sense that the pellet hits the can.