Catapult Lab

Name _____________________________

Part A: Shooting from the ground

Place your catapult on the ground and fire your paper ball from the ground.
Time the time the projectile in the air and measure the range.

Time Range x-velocity

(v=d/t) Average x-velocity = __________________

Part B: Shooting from a stool

Place your catapult on a desk and fire your paper ball from the ground.
Measure the time your projectile is in the air and the range.

Time Range x-velocity

(v=d/t) Average x-velocity = __________________ Average Time:

- Compare the x – velocity in Part A and Part B, within experimental error, what
assumption can you make about the x-velocity? What effect does the height
have on x-velocity?

Part C: Falling time

- Estimage the highest point the paper ball reached when you shot it off the
stool.
- Drop the ball from that height and measure the time:

Time

Average time = ______________

Now average times from part B then divide by 2. Avg time/2 = _____________

Compare these times.