Analyzing the Projectile Motion

Aim: Be able to describe how vertical and horizontal velocity change during
projectile motion.
Screenshot of the capstone screen

The experiment consists of someone throwing a ball, in such way it creates an arc
highlighting the change in velocity from positive to negative. The ball was thrown
above a meter ruler for measuring purposes on the software Capstone. By clicking
through frames of the video, the points of the graph were identified.
Blue line in the diagram above indicates the maximum vertical height of the ball
when being thrown. While the white line shows the horizontal distance travelled, in
other words, the range.

Screenshot of the vertical velocity graph, y-velocity tracked object against time.
Start,
positive
velocity

Maximu
m flight
point

End,
negative
velocity

This is a vertical velocity graph; here the acceleration is negative considering the
gravitational potential energy, its a constant deceleration. As the name of the
graph suggests, it shows the vertical velocity component.

Screenshot of the horizontal velocity graph, x-velocity tracked object against time.

Start

Maximum
flight point
(approxima
te)
End,
before the
ball
touches
the ground

The horizontal velocity graph, here the velocity would maintain constant if the air
resistance (or other friction factors) are considered to be negligible.

Key Ideas of the vertical and horizontal velocity: The horizontal motion is
independent of its vertical component.
The horizontal velocity:
-

There is no forces acting upon the horizontal velocity, meaning there is no

acceleration.
Will maintain itself constant if we assume there is no friction.

The vertical velocity:

-

Will have a constant deceleration of -9.81ms -2

Vertical velocity of the projectile changes by 9.81ms -1 per second.