EXPERIMENT 1:

THEORY
This experiment was performed to describe the relation between the square of
horizontal range x and the vertical distance y that the ball drops from its initial
height. We measured the distance from muzzle to board, which is x and the
distance the ball drops y as the difference between height of muzzle and the
height at which ball strikes the board. By decreasing the horizontal distance x, we
compared the values with the values of y and plotted a graph. Using the graph,
we calculated the slope to get approximate value of initial velocity as well.

APPARATUS

 Mini launcher
• Steel Ball
• Measuring tape or ruler
• White paper and carbon paper
• Vertical board
• Graph paper

PROCEDURE
 The mini launcher was set up on the stand, and the distance was measured
from the bottom to the muzzle of the launcher
 The vertical board was placed at distance x from the muzzle, and balls were
fired onto the board to get approximate location of the ball’s impact.
 We attached white paper along with carbon paper to locate the position at
which ball strikes and calculated the difference between muzzle height and
height of impact to get the drop in height y of the ball.

 We kept reducing the horizontal distance x by 10cm after each shot, and noted
down the corresponding values of y for each x. The values of x were squared
to give x^2, and we plotted a graph of y versus x^2. We took 6 values, and the
 line of best fit of the graph was used to find the slope, and using the slope we
calculated initial velocity.
OBSERVATION
We noted that by reducing x, there was a reduction in the values of y. It indicated
a proportional relation between the two variables. The values and the graph are
given in the following section.

DATA ANALYSIS

HEIGHT DROP (y) cm HORIZONTAL DISTANCE x^2 (𝒄𝒎𝟐 )

(x) cm
28.7 74.5 5550.2
23.7 64.5 4160.2
18 54.5 2970.2
11 44.5 1980.2
8 34.5 1190.2
3.5 23.5 552.2

Y=
y 2− y 1 28.7−3.5
m= x 2−x 1 = 4998

m = slope = 0.0050 cm
g
m= 2 ( v ) square

Vi = 304.0𝒄𝒎 𝒔 −2

𝒗𝒐 𝟐 = 𝟗𝟖𝟏 / 𝟎. 01

𝒗𝒐 = 313.2 𝒄𝒎 𝒔 –𝟏

Theoretical V = 44.5/ 0.14 = 317.8 𝒄𝒎 𝒔 –𝟏

 THEORETICAL−EXPERIMENTAL
ERROR IN V = THEORETICAL
317.8−313.2
= 313.2

ERROR IN V = 4.6 / 313.2

= 0.014 * 100
= 1.46 %

CONCLUSION
The experiment performed above concludes that as the value of the range or
horizontal distance x decreases, the distance y also decreases. The proportional
behavior of the two variables is shown in the graph as the trend follows a straight
line. The values obtained for the initial velocity and the slope are quite
satisfactory. If the graph was plotted between y and x then there would be a
slight curve instead of straight line.
Error observed in the experiment accounted for 1.77% of deviation from the
actual value. This may have resulted due to different people performing the same
experiment. The fragile setting of the mini launcher at 0 degree could have caused
this to happen. As the shot is fired, the launcher moves by a small margin which
reflects in the error. The error could be in finding the spot as well, as inaccuracy is
common when a mark is made by a pencil on a paper. It could also result from
improper measuring technique.

EXPERIMENT 2:
THEORY
In this experiment, two balls are collided using a mini launcher and a collision
attachment. There are 2 types of collisions, elastic and inelastic. In elastic collision
kinetic energy and momentum both are conserved. The momentum of the system
before collision must be equal to the momentum after collision. We check
whether the momentum is conserved or not. Also, we make the collision inelastic
by covering a ball with tape and analyzing the results.

APPARATUS

• Mini launcher
• Tee (Collision attachment)
• Meter ruler or tape
• White paper and carbon paper
• Tape
• Two steel balls
• Plumb bob

OBSERVATION

FOR ELASTIC COLLISION

Let m1 be the vector displacement of first ball and x1 and y1 be its

perpendicular components.
Length of x-component x1 = 83.1cm
Length of y-component y1 = 2.3cm

𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝜃1 = arctan ( 2.3 / 83.1 )

𝑨𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝜽𝟏 = 𝟐°

Let m2 be the vector displacement of second ball and x2 and y2 be its

perpendicular components. Length of x-component x2 = 1cm
Length of y-component y2 = 6.8cm
𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝜃2 = arctan ( 1 / 6.8 )

𝑨𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝜽𝟐 = 𝟖𝟏. 𝟔°
The sum of θ1 and θ2 𝜽 = 𝟖𝟏. 𝟔 + 𝟐 = 𝟖𝟑. 𝟔° 𝜃 ≈ 90°

𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = [ (𝐸𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 –

𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒) / 𝐸𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 ] ∗ 100

% 𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = [ 𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 – 𝜃/ 𝜃𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 ] ∗ 100

% 𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = (90 − 83.6) ∗ 100/90
% 𝑬𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓 = 𝟕. 𝟏%
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑚 𝑥𝑜 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 = 83.4𝑐𝑚
𝐶𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑚 𝑥𝑜𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐 = 𝑥1 2 + 𝑥2 2
𝒙𝒐𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄 = 𝟖𝟑. 𝟏
𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑥 − 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑚 % 𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = (83.4 − 83.1) ∗ 100/83.4
% 𝑬𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓 = 𝟎. 𝟑𝟔%
𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 = < 𝑥 > = 73 + 63 + 53 + 43 + 33 + 23 6 = 48𝑐𝑚
𝐼𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑎𝑠 𝑑𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛 1𝑠𝑡 𝑒𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 = 𝑣 = 298 𝑐𝑚 𝑠 −1
𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕 = < 𝒙 > / 𝒗 = 𝟎. 𝟏𝟔 s

INELASTIC COLLISION

Let m1 be the vector displacement of first ball and x1 and y1 be its perpendicular
components.
Length of x-component x1 = 59.7cm
Length of y-component y1 = 2.5cm
𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝜃1 = arctan ( 2.5 / 59.7 )
𝑨𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝜽𝟏 = 𝟐. 𝟒°
Let m2 be the vector displacement of second ball and x2 and y2 be its
perpendicular components. Length of x-component x2 = 29.5cm
Length of y-component y2 = 10.8cm
𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝜃2 = arctan ( 10.8 / 29.5 )
𝑨𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝜽𝟐 = 𝟐𝟎. 𝟏°
The sum of θ1 and θ2
𝜽 = 𝟐. 𝟒 + 𝟐𝟎. 𝟏 = 𝟐𝟐. 𝟓°
𝜃 < 90°
We can see that the two angles do not sum up to 90 degrees, therefore the
collision is not conserving momentum due to the covering of the tape.
The length of momentum xo measured = 83.4cm
Calculated momentum xoinelastic = x1^2 + x2^2
xoinelastic = 66.6
Percentage error in x-momentum % Error = (83.4-66.6)*100/83.4 %
Error = 20.14%
CONCLUSION
From this experiment we can confirm that when two balls are collided in a mini
launcher, the momentum is conserved for elastic collisions and it is not conserved
for inelastic collisions. When the two balls are collided without the tape, the
angles between the two almost make up to 90 degrees.
This shows us that the path followed by the balls is in accorddance with the law of
conservation of momentum. Similary, when the balls are collided in inelastic
conditions (using the tape) the collision does not follow the momentum
conservation laws. The tape absorbs the incoming momentum of the striking ball,
hence it does not give proper angles and distances correlating to momentum. The
7.1% error in the angle calculation of elastic conditions can be accredited to the
improper setting of balls, and the fragile nature of the launcher. The error is
inevitable if the launcher is not in perfect condition for every shot.