Projectile Motion

Get started by
watching this
short video:

Projectile Motion: the motion of an object launched into the air with an initial force. After the initial
force, only gravity and air resistance act upon it to change its trajectory (path).

Open the simulation: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/projectile-motion

Intro Video: gonyoscience.link/ProjectileMotionIntro

Part 1: Intro

Question 1: How does the height of the cannon affect the distance that the Q1 Settings:
projectile travels? Object: your choice
Cannon Height: variable
Your prediction: ______________________________________________________________
As the cannon height increases the projectile distance stays the same Cannon angle: 250
Pick one: as the cannon height increases the projectile distance increases Initial Speed: 15 m/s
as the cannon height increases the projectile distance decreases Air Resistance: off
as the cannon height increases the projectile distance stays the same

Experiment: Using the settings for question 1, fire projectiles with the cannon at
various heights. Fire as many different shots as you like but be sure to measure and
record the distances for those in the chart.
Zoom out if your shot
Object Cannon Height Cannon Angle Initial Speed Range flies off of the screen
(projectile) (distance travelled)

Human 1m 250 15m/s 19.5 m

Human 5m 250 15m/s 25.08 m

Human 10 m 250 15m/s 29.91 m
Human Use the measuring
15 m 250 15m/s 34.13 m tool to find range

Conclusion: As the cannon height increases the projectile distance increase

______________________________________________________________________________________
How does the height of the cannon affect the distance that the projectile travels?

Question 2: How does the angle of the cannon affect the distance that the
projectile travels? Q2 Settings:
Object: your choice
Your prediction: As the cannon angle increases the projectile distance decreases
______________________________________________________________ Cannon Height: 0 m
Pick one: as the cannon angle increases the projectile distance increases Cannon angle: variable
as the cannon angle increases the projectile distance decreases Initial Speed: 15 m/s
as the cannon angle increases the projectile distance increases to a point and then decreases Air Resistance: off

Experiment: Using the settings for question 2, fire projectiles with the cannon at
various angles. Fire as many different shots as you like but be sure to measure and
record the distances for those in the chart.
page 2

Object Cannon Height Cannon Angle Initial Speed Range

(projectile) (distance travelled)

Car 0m 250 15m/s 17.57 m

Car 0m 350 15m/s 21.55 m

Car 0m 450 15m/s 22.94 m

Car 0m 550 15m/s 21.55 m

Car 0m 650 15m/s 17.57 m

Car 0m 750 15m/s 11.47 m

Car 0m 900 15m/s 0 m

Conclusion 1: ______________________________________________________________________________________
As the cannon angle increases the projectile distance increases to a point and then decreases
How does the angle of the cannon affect the distance that the projectile travels?

45 Degrees
Conclusion 2: ______________________________________________________________________________________
Which angle caused the projectile to travel the farthest? You may want to check more angles just to be sure.

Hmmm, i wonder if it What do you think? Test to find out.

works the same when Describe how you tested and your results.
the cannon is raised When I tested the cannon at 1m, I had the
_____________________________________________________
above ground level? same outcome as I did with the cannon at
_____________________________________________________
0m- it increased to a point, then decreased.
_____________________________________________________

Question 3: How does the initial speed of a projectile affect the distance that it Q3 Settings:
will travel? Object: your choice
Cannon Height: 5 m
As the initial speed increases, the projectile distance increases.
Your prediction: ______________________________________________________________ Cannon angle: 150
Pick one: as the initial speed increases the projectile distance increases Initial Speed: variable
as the initial speed increases the projectile distance decreases Air Resistance: off
an initial speed between 5 m/s and 25 m/s will produce maximum distance

Experiment: Using the settings for question 3, fire projectiles at various initial speeds.
Fire as many different shots as you like but be sure to measure and record the
distances for those in the chart.

Object Cannon Height Cannon Angle Initial Speed Range

(projectile) (distance travelled)

Golf Ball 5m 150 5 m/s 5.55 m

Golf Ball 5m 150 10 m/s 12.63 m

Golf Ball 5m 150 15 m/s 21.45 m

Golf Ball 5m 150 20 m/s 32.30 m

Golf Ball 5m 150 25 m/s 45. 05 m

As the initial speed increases the projectile distance increases

Conclusion: ______________________________________________________________________________________
How does the initial speed of a projectile affect the distance that it will travel?
page 3

Question 4: How does air resistance affect the distance a projectile travels? Q4 Settings:
Object: variable
Your prediction: ______________________________________________________________
A projectile will travel farther with air resistance off Cannon Height: 10 m
Pick one: a projectile will travel farther with air resistance off Cannon angle: 250
a projectile will travel farther with air resistance on Initial Speed: 20 m/s
a projectile will travel exactly the same distance with air resistance on or off Air Resistance: variable

Experiment: Using the settings for question 4, fire various projectiles with air
resistance off and again with air resistance on. Fire as many different shots as you like
but be sure to measure and record the distances for those in the chart.

Object Air Resistance Cannon Height Cannon Angle Initial Speed Range
(projectile) (distance travelled)

OFF 10 m 250 20 m/s 45.85 m

Cannon Ball
ON 10 m 250 20 m/s 45.39 m

OFF 10 m 250 20 m/s 45.85 m

Golf Ball
ON 10 m 250 20 m/s 41.98 m

OFF 10 m 250 20 m/s 45.85 m

Pumpkin
ON 10 m 250 20 m/s 38.67 m

OFF 10 m 250 20 m/s 45.32 m

Human
ON 10 m 250 20 m/s 44.73 m

OFF 10 m 250 20 m/s 45.85 m

Piano
ON 10 m 250 20 m/s 39.36 m

OFF 10 m 250 20 m/s 45.32 m

Car
ON 10 m 250 20 m/s 44.75 m

Conclusion 1: ______________________________________________________________________________________
A projectile will travel closer with air resistance on
How does air resistance affect the distance a projectile travels?

Conclusion 2: ______________________________________________________________________________________
All the above objects have been impacted by air resistance
Are all objects affected the same by air resistance? Explain.

Great job! Now

let’s learn about
VECTORS.
page 4 Be sure to
uncheck air
Part 2: Vectors resistance!

Vectors are arrows that show the magnitude (amount) and direction of some property of an
object’s motion. We will investigate vectors for Velocity and Acceleration.
Velocity - how quickly an object is moving in a given direction
Acceleration - the rate at which an object’s velocity changes

Question 5: How does the angle of the cannon affect the velocity of the projectile? Q5 Settings:
Object: Cannon Ball
Your prediction: Higher
______________________________________________________________
angle increases height, lower angle increases distance. Diameter: .8 m
Mass: 5 kg
Experiment: Using the settings for question 5, fire projectiles at various angles in slow Cannon Height: 5 m
motion. Fire shots at as many different angles as you like but be sure to describe the Cannon angle: variable
vectors for those angles in the chart. Initial Speed: 18 m/s
Air Resistance: off

How does the Length and

Angle Direction of the vector change?
Horizontal Component Vertical Component

00 stays the same decreases then increases Slow Motion

450 stays the same decreases then increases

900 stays the same increases then stays the same Pause step through

Higher angle increases height, lower angle increases distance.

Conclusion: ______________________________________________________________________________________
How does the angle of the cannon affect the velocity of the projectile?

Question 6: How does the angle of the cannon affect the acceleration of the projectile? Q6 Settings:
Object: Cannon Ball
Your prediction:The
______________________________________________________________
angle doesn’t affect acceleration, only the trajectory. Diameter: .8 m
Mass: 5 kg
Experiment: Using the settings for question 6, fire projectiles at various angles in slow Cannon Height: 5 m
Cannon angle: variable
motion. Fire shots at as many different angles as you like but be sure to describe the vectors
Initial Speed: 18 m/s
for those angles in the chart. Air Resistance: off

How does the Length and

Angle Direction of the vector change?
Horizontal Component Vertical Component

Conclusion:
There is no horizontal ________________________
Acceleration only impacts the
00 Direction: Downwards
componentLength: Continuosly changes ________________________
vertical components
________________________
drastically
450 Stays the same stays the same
How does the angle of the
cannon effect the acceleration of
900 Stays the same Direction: Upwards & Downwards
the projectile?
Length: Decreases & Increases
page 5
Q7 Settings:
Question 7: How does air resistance affect the horizontal and vertical Object: Cannon Ball
components of velocity? Diameter: .8 m
Mass: 5 kg
The cannon ball will not travel as far as it would if there was no
Your prediction: ______________________________________________________________ Cannon Height: 5 m
air resistance because of its effect. The cannon ball's trajectory Cannon angle: 450
will also change, ascending faster and descending more slowly. Initial Speed: 18 m/s
Experiment: Using the settings for question 7, fire projectiles with air resistance on and Air Resistance: on
compare the vectors with air resistance off.

Conclusion:_____________________________________________________________________
The trajectory's shape has changed and the horizontal distance
________________________________________________________________________________
traveled decreases due to air resistance.
How does air resistance affect the horizontal and vertical components of velocity?

Question 8: How does air resistance affect the horizontal and vertical Q8 Settings:
components of acceleration? Object: Cannon Ball
Diameter: .8 m
Mass: 5 kg
Your prediction: ______________________________________________________________
The cannon ball will accelerate less quickly vertically and Cannon Height: 5 m
decelerate more quickly horizontally as a result of air resistance . Cannon angle: 450
Initial Speed: 18 m/s
Experiment: Using the settings for question 8, fire projectiles with air resistance on and Air Resistance: on
compare the vectors with air resistance off.

Conclusion:_____________________________________________________________________
The acceleration's vertical component changes and its horizontal
________________________________________________________________________________
component decreases as a result of air resistance.
How does air resistance affect the horizontal and vertical components of acceleration?

Let’s look at
the effects of
drag next.

Air resistance
creates a force
called “drag”.
page 6

Part 3: Drag
Drag is a resistance force created as an object moves through the air. The shape of an object is an important
factor in the amount of drag created. The Drag Coefficient is a value that describes how much drag is affecting an
object’s motion. A parachute would have a high drag coefficient while a bullet would have a low drag coefficient.

Q3 Settings:
Question 9: How does the amount of drag on a projectile affect the distance it will Cannon Height: 1 m
travel? Cannon angle: 450
Initial Speed: 18m/s
Your prediction: ______________________________________________________________
A projectile will travel a shorter distance the more drag it faces. Object: Cannon Ball
Drag: variable
Experiment: Using the settings for question 9, fire projectiles with various coefficient of Diameter: .8 m
drag values. Fire as many shots as you like but be sure to measure and record the Mass: 5 kg
distances for the drag coefficients in the chart. Altitude: 0M

Drag Coefficient Cannon Height Cannon Angle Initial Speed Range

(distance travelled)

0.04 1m 450 18 m/s 31.97 m

0.25 1m 450 18 m/s 24.7 m

0.50 1m 450 18 m/s 19.78 m

0.75 1m 450 18 m/s 16.66 m

1.0 1m 450 18 m/s 14.47 m

Conclusion: The
______________________________________________________________________________________
amount of drag shortened the distance the projectile travelled
How does the amount of drag on a projectile affect the distance it will travel?

Question 10: How does the diameter of a projectile affect the distance the
projectile will travel when drag remains constant? Q10 Settings:
Cannon Height: 1 m
Your prediction: If______________________________________________________________
drag remains constant, an increase in the diameter of a projectile Cannon angle: 450
Initial Speed: 18m/s
will decrease the distance it will travel.
Experiment: Using the settings for question 10, fire projectiles with different diameters Object: Cannon Ball
but the same coefficient of drag. Fire as many different shots as you like but be sure to Drag: .47
measure and record the distances for the diameters in the chart. Diameter: variable
Mass: 5 kg
Altitude: 0M

Diameter Cannon Height Cannon Angle Initial Speed Range

(distance travelled)

.1 m 1m 450 18 m/s 33.6 m

.3 m 1m 450 18 m/s 30.75 m

.5 m 1m 450 18 m/s 26.55 m

.7 m 1m 450 18 m/s 22.22 m

1m 1m 450 18 m/s 16.82 m

Conclusion: ______________________________________________________________________________________
The bigger the diameter, the shorter the distance.
How does the diameter of a projectile affect the distance the projectile will travel when drag is constant?
page 7

Question 11: How does the mass of a projectile affect the distance it will travel
when drag remains constant? Q11 Settings:
Cannon Height: 1 m
Your prediction: Increasing a projectile's mass, may increases its travel distance.
______________________________________________________________ Cannon angle: 450
Initial Speed: 18m/s
Experiment: Using the settings for question 11, fire projectiles with different masses Object: Cannon Ball
but the same coefficient of drag. Fire as many different shots as you like but be sure to Drag: .47
measure and record the distances for the diameters in the chart. Diameter: .8 m
Mass: variable
Altitude: 0M

Mass Diameter Cannon Height Cannon Angle Initial Speed Range

(distance travelled)

1 kg .8 m 1m 450 18 m/s 8.76 m

3 kg .8 m 1m 450 18 m/s 16.32 m

5 kg .8 m 1m 450 18 m/s 20.25 m

7 kg .8 m 1m 450 18 m/s 22.71 m

10 kg .8 m 1m 450 18 m/s 25.09 m

Conclusion: Indeed,
______________________________________________________________________________________
increasing the mass had also increased the distance travelled
How does the mass of a projectile affect the distance the projectile will travel when drag is constant?

Question 12: How does altitude affect the distance a projectile will travel when
the drag coefficient remains constant? Q12 Settings:
Cannon Height: 1 m
Cannon angle: 450
Your prediction: ______________________________________________________________
An increase in altitude from which a projectile is launched Initial Speed: 18m/s
will increase the distance it will travel. Object: Cannon Ball
Experiment: Using the settings for question 12, fire projectiles at different altitudes. Drag: .47
Fire as many different shots as you like but be sure to measure and record the Diameter: .8 m
distances for the altitudes in the chart. Mass: 5 kg
Altitude: variable

Altitude Diameter Mass Cannon Height Cannon Angle Initial Speed Range
(distance travelled)

0m .8 m 5 kg 1m 450 18 m/s 20.25 m

1,500 m .8 m 5 kg 1m 450 18 m/s 21.34 m

3,000 m .8 m 5 kg 1m 450 18 m/s 22..44 m

4,500 m .8 m 5 kg 1m 450 18 m/s 23.53 m

5,000 m .8 m 5 kg 1m 450 18 m/s 23.89 m

Conclusion: Increasing
______________________________________________________________________________________
the altitude indeed, increased the distance travelled.
How does altitude affect the distance a projectile will travel when the drag coefficient remains constant?
page 8

Part 4: Lab
The lab is a place to experiment and to play. There are three Experiments and two Challenges.

This is
going to
Lab Experiments be fun!

Lab Experiment 1: Experiment to find the farthest distance you can get a projectile to travel. Using any
projectile, find the best combination of settings below and fill in the chart.

Air
Projectile Initial Drag Range
Mass Diameter Gravity Resistance Altitude
(object) Speed Coefficient (distance travelled)
check one

m/s Kg M m/s2 On Off m m

Can’t measure. It
flew off of my
screen!

Lab Experiment 2: Experiment to determine how an increase in gravity affects the distance an object will
travel. Use any settings in the lab. Explain your conclusion.

Conclusion:__________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lab Experiment 3: Experiment to determine how air resistance at different altitudes affects the distance
an object will travel. Use any settings in the lab. Explain your conclusion.

Conclusion:__________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

you might want

to try the piano
for this one.
page 9

You need to hit the

Lab Challenges bullseye (3 stars)!
LC1 Settings:
Lab Challenge 1: Hit the Target! Object: Human
Mass: 70 kg
Using the settings for Lab Challenge 1, set up the first target challenge by Diameter: .5 m
dragging the target to the distance shown in the chart. Then adjust the Gravity 9.8 m/s2
Initial Speed and Cannon Angle to try to hit the target. Make adjustments Air Resistance: off
to close in on the target and record the number of attempts it took to hit Cannon Height: 5 m
the target. Repeat for target challenges 2-6. Cannon Angle: variable
Target Distance: variable
Initial Speed: variable

Target Number of attempts

Target Distance Initial Speed Cannon Angle
Challenge # to hit target bullseye
1 5m m/s 0

2 10m m/s 0

3 15m m/s 0

4 20m m/s 0

5 25m m/s 0

6 30m m/s 0

Lab Challenge 2: Two Player Challenge!

1. Player One sets up a shot for Player Two. Adjust any variable in the lab to set up the shot.
2. Player Two adjusts the initial speed and cannon angle to hit the target in as few shots as possible.
3. Player Two then sets up a shot for Player One.

The lowest score after five rounds wins!

Round Player One Player Two

(Number of shots) (Number of shots)

1
2
3
4
5
6
Total