Technological University of the Philippines- Taguig Campus

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PROJECTILE MOTION
LABORATORY #2

AGUILAR, BENEDICTO JR. H. ____________

ALLADO, DON FRANCESCO P. ____________
FEDERIGAN, JUDEL G. _______________
MACALABA, ALIYAH KAIRA T. ____________
SUZARA, JENNILYN M. _______________
VENUS, DYRANELLE M. _______________

Instructor: Engr. John Bryan S. Odiña

FEBRUARY 2020
I. General and Specific Objectives

General Objectives:
1. To know how projectile works
2. To describe the motion of projectile
3. To learn the fundamentals of projectile
Specific Objectives:
1. To find the initial velocity with the given angle, distance, and time
2. To discover whether the time of flight of the metal pellets respected to its
angle varies as the initial velocity is varied
3. To investigate the projectile motion of a spherical object fired by a cannon.
4. To test the precision of the data gathered for reliability

II. Materials Needed

1. Cannon – curve metals, metal wires, welding machine, PVC tube, and
rubber balloon.
2. Metal pellets
3. Carbon paper
4. Bond paper
5. Tape (optional)

III. Procedure
1. Make a cannon
1.1 Gathered all the materials which are curve metals, metal wires,
welding machine, PVC tube, and rubber balloon.
1.2 Put the curve metals together using the welding machine. Repeat it
with the other side.
1.3 Put the metal wires around the PVC tube to make it able to rotate.
1.4 Create a small hole on the top of the two curve metals to make it the
main foundation of the cannon.
 1.5 Put the PVC tube inside the small hole.
2. Choose your preferred place to put the carbon paper. Remember to put
the carbon paper on top of the bond paper.
3. Decide 3 (three) angles that will be used in shooting metal pellets by
cannon.
4. In 1 (one) angle, you have to aim for the carbon paper 10 times.
5. After satisfying the 1st chosen angle, repeat the process for the other 2
(two) angle.

IV. Data Gathered

The students used the data gathered in tables to calculate the initial velocity using
the formula,

−g x 2
v 0=
√ 2
2 cos θ( y −tan θ x)
❑

 Where g means gravity

 y means height

By getting the initial velocity, we can determine the specific solution for velocity or
displacement as a function of time and not just assumed the variables. It can also open
the opportunity to predict more precisely.
 Table 1: The Gathered Data in 30° Angle
30° Angle
# of
Time Distance Initial Velocity
Tries
(s) (m) (m/s)
1 1.42 1.51 4.57
2 1.11 1.30 4.32
3 0.94 1.42 4.47
4 0.51 1.24 4.24
5 0.84 2.30 5.44
6 0.61 2.32 5.46
7 1.26 1.97 5.09
8 0.77 1.57 4.64
9 0.82 1.92 5.04
10 1.44 1.65 4.73

Table no.1 shows the 10th trial for 30 ° angle with the computed initial velocity. It
consists of time, distance, and the chosen angle which is 30 ° angle. The initial velocity
has two constants which are 5 and 4 but differ only in decimals. The highest initial
velocity is 5.46 m/s and the lowest initial velocity is 4.24 m/s which result a range of 1.2
m/s.
Table 2: The Gathered Data in 45° Angle
45° Angle
# of
Time Distance Initial Velocity
Tries
(s) (m) (m/s)
1 0.63 1.42 3.96
2 0.75 2.12 4.74
3 0.48 1.50 4.05
4 0.54 1.97 4.59
5 0.69 1.37 3.89
6 0.21 1.88 4.49
7 1.29 1.77 4.36
8 0.99 2.40 5.02
9 0.28 1.48 4.04
10 0.34 2.05 4.67
Table no.2 shows the 10th trial for 45 ° angle with the computed initial velocity. It
consists of time, distance, and the chosen angle which is 45 ° angle. The initial velocity
has two constants which are 3, 4, and 5 that suggest that it is more spread than table
no. 1. The highest initial velocity is 5.02 m/s and the lowest initial velocity is 3.89 m/s
which result a range of 1.13 m/s.
 Table 3: The Gathered Data in 60° Angle

60° Angle
# of
Time Distance Initial Velocity
Tries
(s) (m) (m/s)
1 0.43 2.96 5.88
2 0.56 1.58 4.35
3 0.36 2.44 5.35
4 0.13 2.13 5.02
5 0.54 1.85 4.69
6 0.34 2.39 5.31
7 0.33 1.42 4.15
8 0.33 1.38 4.08
9 0.29 2.11 5.00
10 0.14 1.36 4.07

Table no.3 shows the 10th trial for 60 ° angle with the computed initial velocity. It
consists of time, distance, and the chosen angle which is 60 ° angle. The initial velocity
has two constants which are 5 and 4 but differ only in decimals. The highest initial
velocity is 5.88 m/s and the lowest initial velocity is 4.07 m/s which result a range of
1.81 m/s.
V. Data Analysis and Synthesis
In this experiment, we shot a ball metal out of cannon and to perform a series of
trials involved projectile motion.
The students used the data gathered in tables to calculate the average time,
average distance, maximum height, and range using the following formulas:
To calculate the maximum height, the students used the formula,
v 02 sin 2 θ
Y max =
2g
 v 0 stands for the initial velocity
 g stands for gravitational force

To calculate the average range, the students used the formula,

v 02 sin 2θ
range=
g
  v 0 stands for the initial velocity
 g stands for gravitational force

The students calculated the mean, median, and mode to know and do the following;
the average initial velocity of the tables, to separate the lower half to the higher half, and
to know the frequent result/s in the tables.

(0,0)

H
(x,y)

Range
Figure 1: Cannon Firing the Metal Pellets
Table 4: Computed Values from the Data Gathered
Computed Values Data from 30° Trials Data from 45° Trials Data from 60° Trials
Average initial velocity 4.8 m/s 4.38 m/s 4.79 m/s
Average distance 1.72 m 1.80 m 1.96 m
Average time 0.97 s 0.62 s 0.34 s
YMAX (based on 0.29 m 0.49 m 0.88 m
average initial velocity)
Range (based on 2.03 m 1.96 m 2.03 m
average initial velocity)

Based on our data that we gathered from our experiment, it is clear that the
greater the initial velocity is, the higher the distance will get. At 30˚ angle projection, the
highest distance of the metal ball reached 2.30 m. at 0.84 sec. with Vo of 5.44 m/s
which is the 5th trial while the lowest distance of the metal ball which is the 2nd trial that
has distance 1.0 m, the time is 1.11 sec with Vo of 4.32 m/s.
At 45˚ angle projection, the highest distance of the metal ball reached a distance
of 2.40 m. in 0.99 sec. with Vo of 5.02 m/s which is the 8th trial however the lowest
distance that the metal ball reached 1.37 m. at 0.69 sec. with Vo of 3.89 m/s.
 At 60˚ angle projection, the highest distance that the metal ball reached 2.96 m
and has time that takes for the 0.43 sec. with Vo of 5.88 m/s. Since a projectile is an
object that is given an initial velocity, and is acted on by gravity.
The path the object follows is called its trajectory; the trajectory has horizontal (x)
and vertical position components. In this experiment, the type of our projectile motion is
trajectory because it is dealing with a projectile fired and landed on a level surface. It
can easily describe or distinguish and it can be calculated using formulas to find the
maximum height, time of flight, and the distance travelled by the metal ball.
By doing different type of computations, the students found out that the force of
gravity does not affect the horizontal of the projectile for the reason that it opposes it.
Force of gravity affects the y-components for the reason that it pulls down object back
from the earth such as the vertical velocity. This is supported by the general principle
that horizontal and vertical parts of the velocity have no effect to each other and can be
or should be independent.
60°
45°
30°

Figure 2: Cannon With the Same v0 in Different

Angles
To get the maximum height, you will need the initial velocity. Based on the
computed data, the angle with the highest height is 30° with a height of 0.29 m. This
show that the steeper angles will have great vertical component hence increases the
maximum height. We can also notice that 30° and 60° are complementary angles that
results almost similar data such as the initial velocity and the range. The initial velocity
of 30° is 4.8 m/s and range 2.04 m while 60° is 4.79 m/s and range 2.03 m.
`
y

a
 V0

x
g

Figure 3: Illustration of the Projectile in Action

The students notice that 45° is the optimum angle for it perfectly splits the upward
and forward forces. It also has a product of 90° when multiply by itself which also
supports the idea. It is the half of 90° so it means it’s in the middle. The half of the force
is against the gravity which is the vertical axis and other is in the horizontal against the
force of air friction. When the vertical force decreases, the horizontal force will move the
object as far as possible. This angle has better balance than the other angles that it
optimizes the horizontal velocity and the time of flight.

v0y
v0

45°
v0x
Figure 4: 45° Angle Illustration
According to Felipe projectile involves two dimensional motions with constant
acceleration whereas the linear motion of the object thrown at a given angle to the
vertical direction is moderated by the force due to gravity. Resultant acceleration is
always constant which is consistently directed in vertically downward direction. In
addition, the uniform acceleration produces two dimensional motions for a reason the
force and initial velocity are not along the same direction. It results to change of
magnitude and direction of the velocity when the linear motion of the object is
continuously worked upon by the gravity (2009).
As said in the study of Achaempong which involved an aircraft at an altitude that
encountered a problem in air and was about to crash when the pilot decided to jump off
from emergency exit with known velocity and at a specific angle above horizontal
therefore, the problem is how the pilot can jump into the river located at a distance from
where he jumped. As he concluded the height where the pilot jumped off and initial
velocity is the factors affecting horizontal distance. Hence, the angle of projection and
velocity of the pilot is constant; the projection and flight time is directly proportional
(2015).
A mentioned in the case study of Quintic sports, if an object is projected from a
height and it landed below the height then the initial velocity will be lesser than the final
velocity. However if an object is projected and landed at the same height, initial and final
velocity are the same. In addition, an angle of 45˚ is the optimum angle of release, for a
projectile being released at ground level and if ever the relative height of projection
increases, the angle should be lowered and if the height of projection decreases, the
angle of projection should be increased in order to increase the distance (n.d)
VI. Discussion and Conclusion
The motion where the only force applied is gravity is called projectile. It is used for
different applications in our life like sports. When dealing with a projectile fired and
landed on a level surface, its trajectory can be easily described and it can be calculated
using formulas for maximum height, time of flight, and range of distance travelled by the
object. However in real-life applications, there are scenarios where an object is in
projectile motion but there are additional factors involved.
Projectiles can vary from a type to another under the circumstances of an object's
elevation and the angle it was fired in relation to a surface. When a projectile starts from
a surface higher than its landing point, the trajection changes. There are recognizable
differences that can be seen from a visual standpoint. The upward path of the trajection
is smaller than the downwards path, which shortens the speed and time of the
projectile's elevation in comparison to its depression. In addition, it is noticable that the
longer the object falls, its trajectory nears an angle perpendicular to the ground.

V
V 0
1
Vy

V2
 An example of projectile is a running car falling off the cliff. You can see that the path
is tangent to the path so the direction of the velocity is always changing as the path
curves downward. The path has a shape of parabola but it is only true when the air is
negligible but in reality, we can’t resist air and it has a different shape. Horizontal and
vertical parts of the velocity have no affect to each other and the reason is because they
are in different axis. Horizontal velocity is constant due to gravity which only pulls
objects down that means horizontal velocity has no acceleration. On the other hand,
vertical velocity is the opposite of horizontal that changes because of the gravity pulling
it down which result a steady increase downward.

Vy = 0

Figure 5: Illustration of Changes in Vertical Velocity

When an object reaches the maximum height, the vertical velocity will decrease due
to the acceleration which is in the opposite direction. The height is increasing in vertical
displacement that makes it upward. When it reaches the maximum height, it will
become zero hence the final velocity is zero. The vertical will increase because the
acceleration is in the same direction. Since the height is decreasing now, vertical
velocity is downward.
The students crafted makeshift cannon to conduct an experiment, launching metallic
pellets ten times for angles of elevation: 30°, 45°, and 60°. They recorded the results of
horizontal displacement and the time of flight for each trial.
With additional research, the students learned that a projectile is a combined
movement of vertical and horizontal directions. The horizontal motion is the resulting
inertia of the object to keep moving on its path until it is stopped, and the vertical is the
result of gravity (the only force relevant in projectile motion) acting on the object. This
combination of two axes along the two-dimensional plane results in a parabolic
trajectory.
With the use of vertical and horizontal displacement formula, the students have
calculated for the initial velocity given the height of the cannon, the horizontal
displacement of the pellets, and the angles set in the experiment.

VII. References
 Felipe, L. U. (27, April 2009). Projectile motion. Retrieved from
https://www.academia.edu/23014641/Projectile_Motion
 Acheampong, R.O.S. (14, April 2015). Vector-valued function application to
projectile motion. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/28654012/Vector-
Valued_Function_Application_to_Projectile_Motion
 Quintic sports. Retrieved from https://www.quinticsports.com/projectile-motion/
(n.d.).