PHYS 251 L

Marble Launcher Lab Report

Introduction:

An experiment was conducted, measurements involved were collected to determine the initial velocity
of the marbles at five different power settings of the marble launcher. In this lab, we were provided with
the raw data of horizontal displacement (m) of a launched marble from a height of 1.172 m. We will be
using the provided raw data to measure the vertical and horizontal displacement from the starting
positions and calculate the initial velocities of the marbles launched. The purpose of this lab is to
familiarize the applications of kinematics equations.

Experiment:

In this experiment, five different approaches were outlined to measure the vertical and horizontal
displacement and to calculate the initial velocities of the launched marbles. Four of the approaches
were used and data collected were provided. To collect the remaining data, the marble launcher was set
up towards the edge of the table. With the launcher at the edge of the table, it was easier to
approximate from the floor up to the bottom of the marble launcher chamber. This was because in
addition to all the horizontal distance measurement obtained as part of the raw data, there was also a
vertical distance that needs to be obtained. The experiment required two partners, one used fingernail
to release the trigger ensuring the smooth release of the marble and made sure the marble launcher
was in a fixed position while the other partner used tick markings to spot where the marbles hit. Various
formulas and kinematic equations were applied to determine the time, initial velocity, mean and
standard deviations of the marble.
1
delta(x) = a𝑡 2 + vo𝑡
2
Variables definition:

delta(x) is the horizontal distance, (a) is the acceleration due to gravity, (t) is the time and (vo ) is the
initial velocity.
1
delta(x) = vo𝑡 + a𝑡 2
2
In solving the equation above for initial velocity, below was the results derived in Table #2 below

√Σ(𝑥−𝑧) 2 Σx
σ= 𝑁
, mean = 𝑁
= summation of trials
number of trials

In solving for the mean and standard deviations, the above formulas were used. The results are shown
in the Table #3 below.
Results:

Raw data of horizontal Displacement of a launched marble from height of 1.172 m

Power Setting Trial

1 2 3 4 5

1 1.39 1.39 1.46 1.35 1.39

2 1.96 1.96 1.99 1.97 2.02

3 2.52 2.55 2.60 2.51 2.55

4 2.84 2.86 2.89 2.90 2.91

5 3.32 3.32 3.31 3.32 3.39

Table #1

Power setting 1 results of raw data of horizontal displacement of five trials converted to initial velocities
in table 2

Power Trial Delta X t(s) V(m/s)

Setting

1 1 1.39 0.489 2.842

1 2 1.39 0.489 2.842

1 3 1.46 0.489 2.985

1 4 1.35 0.489 2.76

1 5 1.39 0.489 2.842

Table # 2
Results of mean and standard deviation of all five power settings and five trials

Power Mean Standard deviation

Setting

1 1.40 0.04

2 1.98 0.02

3 2.54 0.03

4 2.88 0.05

5 3.33 0.03
Table #3

Given data of mean and standard deviation of the initial velocities (m/s)

Power Method 1 Method 2 Method 3 Method 4 Method 5

Setting
Mean & S.D(±) Mean & S.D(±) Mean & S.D(±) Mean & S.D(±) Mean & S.D(±)

1 3.27 ± 0.10 3.27 ± 0.05 2.23 ± 0.19 3.41 ± 0.06

2 4.52 ± 0.12 4.20 ± 0.10 3.85 ± 0.12 4.64 ± 0.04

3 5.74 ± 0.14 5.43 ± 0.14 5.54 ± 0.06 5.86 ± 0.03

4 7.11 ± 0.11 6.60 ± 0.15 6.96 ± 0.16 7.16 ± 0.02

5 8.37 ± 0.20 7.80 ± 0.08 8.34 ± 0.12 8.35 ± 0.05

Table #4

Total Compiled Data Set of all five power setting and five trials

Power Method 1 Method 2 Method 3 Method 4 Method 5

Setting
Mean & S.D(±) Mean & S.D(±) Mean & S.D(±) Mean & S.D(±) Mean & S.D(±)

1 1.40 ± 0.04 3.27 ± 0.10 3.27 ± 0.05 2.23 ± 0.19 3.41 ± 0.06

2 1.98 ± 0.02 4.52 ± 0.12 4.20 ± 0.10 3.85 ± 0.12 4.64 ± 0.04

3 2.54 ± 0.03 5.74 ± 0.14 5.43 ± 0.14 5.54 ± 0.06 5.86 ± 0.03

4 2.88 ± 0.05 7.11 ± 0.11 6.60 ± 0.15 6.96 ± 0.16 7.16 ± 0.02

5 3.33 ± 0.03 8.37 ± 0.20 7.80 ± 0.08 8.34 ± 0.12 8.35 ± 0.05
Table #5
Discussion:

From the above results of the mean and standard deviation data, we can see that method 1 has the
lowest mean and standard deviation values. Method 1, 4 and 5 were horizontally launched while
Method 2 and 3 were vertically launched. In comparing all five methods from the total compiled data set
results, we can see that the vertically launched marbles had the highest mean and standard deviation
than the horizontally launched marbles. Our interpretation of this data is that the horizontally launched
marbles were closely clustered around each other as they hit the platform. The vertically launched
marbles were dispersed around.