Applied Physics Lab Report

Mini-launcher

BECE 18-C

B-1

 Abdullah Fazal.
 Muhammad Saad.
 Moazzan Ahmed Khan.
 Muhammad Anique.
ABSTRACT:

The main purpose to perform the experiment is to investigate two-dimensional

motion in case of a projectile. In this experiment, we will measure the values of
entities like time, horizontal range and vertical height and also the launching
speed of muzzle. Muzzle speed can be calculated using photo-gates.

THEORY:

Projectile:
Any object thrown in air, making some angle with the horizontal (zero or nonzero)
is called a projectile.

Trajectory:
The path followed by a projectile is known as its trajectory.

Horizontal motion of the projectile:

In case of a projectile, the horizontal component of the velocity remains the same.
Hence, the horizontal component of the motion always remains constant.

Vertical motion:
The acceleration i.e. the acceleration due to gravity in the vertical motion remains
constant. The velocity in this case is varying and is given by:

Time of flight:
The time taken by the projectile to complete the trajectory is called its time of
flight. It is given by:

Time of flight=

Maximum Height:
The maximum height achieved by the projectile is given by:

Range of projectile:
The horizontal distance covered by the projectile is called its range.

It is given by:

The above-mentioned equations are for the case in which the launching and the
landing points are the same. In other cases, these equations are modified
accordingly.

APPARATUS:

• Mini-launcher
• Goggles
• Steel ball (16 mm)
• Push rod
• String

• Carbon paper

• A4 paper
The projectile (steel ball) is assumed to be released from the edge of the table
with some initial speed.
Experiment 1: Projectile Motion

Part A: Determination of initial velocity of the ball

1. Put the ball in the mini-launcher at the short-range position. Locate the
position where the ball hits the ground by firing it once. Place a carbon-paper
(with carbon side down) over the white paper at this place and tape the
papers down. When the ball will land on the papers, it will leave a mark on
them.

2. Fire three shots.

3. Measure the vertical distance from the marked point on the barrel to the
surface by using a plumb bob. Record the reading in the table.

4. Measure the horizontal distance between the launching point and the
leading paper edge and record in the table.

5. Measure the distance between the paper edge and each of the three dots on
the paper and record in the table.

6. Take the average of the distances to the three dots and record it in the table.

7. Calculate the time of flight and initial velocity of the ball by the help of the
vertical distance and the average horizontal distance and record in the table.

8. Calculate the total average horizontal distance and record in the table.
 Part B: Prediction of range of ball at a certain angle

1. Adjust the mini-launcher to an angle between 20 to 60 degrees with the

horizontal. Record the angle in the table.
2. By the help of the initial velocity and vertical distance from the first
experiment, calculate the value of the time of flight and new horizontal
range for the projectile thrown at some angle with the horizontal. Record
these values in the table.
3. Draw a line in the middle of a white paper and place the paper in front of
the launcher such that the line lies at predicted range from the launcher as
was calculated. Place carbon-paper over the white paper and then tape
them down.
4. Shoot the ball three times.
5. Measure the three distances.
6. Take their average and record the value in the table.

OBSERVATIONS

(A) INITIAL VELOCITY:

Angle above horizontal=0

Vertical distance=y=34cm

Calculated time of flight=t=.263sec

 TRIAL NUMBER Distance from paper
edge=X(cm)

1. 111.5

2. 111

3. 111.5

Average distance =111.33cm

Initial velocity = X/t=4.23m/s

(B)CONFIRMING THE PREDICTED RANGE:

Angle above horizontal=10 Vertical distance =y=36.5cm

calculated time=t= 0.391 sec

Trial number Distance from the paper

edge=X(cm)

1. 74.9

2. 74.8

3. 74.7

Average distance=74.8cm
Predicted range=R=vₒcosϴₒt=1.92*cos10*0.391=0.738m

Percentage difference=(X-R/X) ×100= (0.748-.738/0.748)×100= 1.33%

ϴ=-10:

Vertical distance = y = 32cm

Calculated time of flight = t = 0.256sec

Predicted range = R = vₒcosϴₒt= 1.92×cos (-10) × 0.256 = 0.491m

Trial number Distance from paper

edge=X(cm)

1. 47.2

2. 46

3. 46.5

Average distance = 46.6cm

% difference = (X-R/R) × 100 = -5.09%

Experiment 2: Projectile motion using photogates

Part A: Determination of initial velocity of the ball

1. Put the ball in the mini-launcher at the short-range position.

2. Run the timing program and measure the time the ball takes to move
between the photogates.
3. Shoot the ball three times and take the average of the three values and
record it in the table.
4. Calculate the initial velocity of the ball and record the value in the table.
The distance between the gates id 10 cm.

Part B: Prediction of range of ball at a certain angle

1. Keep the selected angle of the mini-launcher.

2. Measure the vertical distance from the marked point on the barrel to the
surface by using a plumb bob. Record the reading in the table.
3. Calculate the time of flight and horizontal range of the ball at the selected
angle by the help of the vertical distance and the initial velocity and record
in the table.
4. Draw a line in the middle of a white paper and place the paper in front of
the launcher such that the line lies at predicted range from the launcher as
was calculated. Place carbon-paper over the white paper and then tape
them down.
5. Shoot the ball three times and measure the three distances.
6. Take their average and record the value in the table
 Observations:
Photogates:
(A) Horizontal distance=x=10cm Time:

Trial number Time recorded(sec)

1. 0.0231

2. 0.0232

3. 0.0233
Average time=t=0.0232sec

Initial velocity =v₀=x/t=0.1/0.0232=4.31m/s

(B) Finding ranges:

Vertical distance = y =34 cm 𝜭𝟏=0

Trial number Distance from paper edge=X(cm)

1. 111.5

2. 110.5

3. 108
average distance = X = 165cm

Therefore, range = 165cm

ϴ2=10

Vertical distance=y=35.4cm
 Trial number Time recorded(sec)

1 0.0236

2 0.0236

3 0.0235

Average time = 0.02356 sec

Trial number Distance from paper edge=X(cm)

1. 148

2. 149

3. 147

Average distance = 148 cm

Experiment 3: Projectile Range versus angle

1. Clamp the mini-launcher near one end of the table such that the ball
falls on the table after the projection. The square nut in the T-slot must
be positioned close to the muzzle.
2. Adjust the angle to 10 degrees.
3. Put the steel ball in the mini-launcher and cock it to the chosen position.

4. Locate the position where the ball hits the ground by firing it once. Place
a carbon-paper (with carbon side down) over the white paper at this
place and tape the papers down. When the ball will land on the papers,
it will leave a mark on them.
 5. Fire about three shots.
6. Measure the horizontal distance between the launching point and the
leading paper edge and record in the table.
7. Measure the distance between the paper edge and each of the three
dots on the paper and record in the table.
8. Increase angle by 10 degrees and repeat all the steps.
9. Repeat the experiment for all angles up to 80 degrees.

SHOOTING OFF THE TABLE:

Clamp the mini-launcher in exactly 180 degrees rotated position so that the ball
will hit the floor. Repeat the steps from 1 to 6 and record the readings in the
table. Use plumb bob to find the distance between the mini-launcher and the
floor.

OBSERVATIONS:

ON THE TABLE:

Sr# no Projectile angle Range

1. 20 63.6

2. 25 75.6

3. 30 89.8

4. 35 98.8

5. 40 104.4

6. 45 106.3

7. 50 105.1
 8 55 100.3

9 60 93.8

CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION:

In this experiment, many properties of projectile motion have been analyzed

practically.

In the case when the launching level and landing level are the same, the range is
maximum for the angle 45 degrees. So, range versus angle graph is a parabola in
this case.

An important thing which can be inferred from the graph is that the range is not
maximum at 45 degrees when the launching level and landing level are not the
same.

The possible errors were parallax, human error, the deviation of the ball from its
path due to the air.

• We removed parallax by keeping our eye perpendicular to the plane of

motion of the ball.
• The human error was minimized by taking the average of the values we
measured.
• The effect of air friction was minimized by taking a ball of a very small
radius (8 cm).