Projectile

School :- SMK Seafield, Jalan USJ 2/5, Subang Jaya, Selangor D.E.
Candidate :- ________________________________________
I / C No. :- ________________________________________ Date :- ( expt. day ) .
Expt. No. :- 2 Index No. :- _________________________

Topic :- Kinematics
Title :- Projectile
Objective :- To study the trajectory of a projected object subjected to the gravitational acceleration.
Theory :- The coordinates ( x, y ) of an object at time t after being projected from an origin O at an angle θ to the
horizontal with initial velocity v o are given by

o x

θ Projected
direction
vo

y Trajectory

x  vox t (1)

1 2
and y  voy t  gt (2)
where, 2
horizontal velocity, vox  vo cos  (3)

initial vertical velocity, voy  vo sin  (4)

 Projectile (2)
2
 x  1  x 
From ( 1 ) and ( 2 ),  y  voy    g  
 vox  2  vox 
 voy  1 g 2
 y   x  2
x (5)
 ox 
v 2 vox

which is an equation of a parabola.

voy vo sin 
From ( 3 ) and ( 4 ),   tan  (6)
vox vo cos 
1 g 2
From (5 ) and ( 6 ),  y  x tan   x (7)
2 vox 2
A graph of ( y - x tan θ ) versus x 2 is hence a straight line through the origin which further verifies
equation ( 5 ) as a parabola.
1 g
The slope for equation ( 7 ) is s 
2 vox 2
g
 vox  .
2s
From ( 3 ), hence vox 1 g
vo  
cos  cos  2s
Apparatus :- ( i ) A 1.0 m aluminium V – track ( iv ) Carbonised printing paper
( ii ) A target board ( 30 cm x 100 cm) ( v ) A metre rule.
( iii ) A steel ball bearing ( about 1 cm diameter ) ( vi ) A retort stand
 Projectile (3)
Procedure :-
Ball bearing Carbonised
Clamp
V - track printing paper
Retort stand
h Target board
θ o
x
x

(a) The apparatus as shown in the diagram above is set up.

(b) By adjusting the clamp, the angle θ is set at a suitable angle, e.g. Θ = 45 o .
(c) The target board is placed at x = 5.0 cm from the lower end of the V – track, as shown.
(d) The ball bearing is held at a suitable height h on the V-track. The height h is measured and recorded.
(e) The ball bearing is then released from the height h and the position where it hits the target board is then
noted. The value of y of the hit mark for the corresponding value of x is measured
(f) Step ( e ) is repeated and an average value found for y .
(g) Keeping h constant, the value of x is increased in stages and steps ( e ) and ( f ) are repeated.
(h) Values of x, y, y – x tan θ and x 2 are tabulated.
(i) A graph of y against x and a graph of y – x tan θ against x 2 are plotted.
( y  x tan  )
(j) The slope of the graph of y – x tan θ against x 2 , s  , is determined.
( x 2 )
(k) The initial velocity v o of the ball bearing when it leaves the V – track is calculated using the expression,
vox 1 g
vo   . .
cos  cos  2s
 Projectile (4)
Results :-
No. (i) ( ii ) mean
Height ( h ± 0.1 ) cm
Angle of inclination ( θ ± 0.5 ) o

( y ± 0.1 ) cm ( y – x tan θ ) ( x 2 ± 0.2 )

No. ( x ± 0.1 )
y1 y2 y3 mean cm cm 2
cm
(i)
( ii )
( iii )
( iv )
(v)
(vi)
( vii )
( viii )
( ix )
(x)
 ( y  x tan  )   x2 
n n

 ( y  x tan  )
n 1
 x2
 
n 1
Centroid = ( < x > , < y – x tan θ > )
2
n n
= ( ? , ? )  
 Projectile (5)
Graph of y / cm versus x /
cm
y / cm

Graph :-

x / cm
O

( y – x tan θ ) / cm Graph of ( y – x tan θ ) / cm

versus x 2 / cm

centroid
( ? , ? )
 ( y  x tan  )
  ? - ? cm

 ( x2 )  ? - ? cm 2
x 2 / cm 2
O
 Projectile (6)
Calculation :-
( i ) From the graph of y against x , a parabolic curve through the origin is obtained.

( ii ) From the graph of y – x tan θ against x 2 ,

  y  x tan  
slope s 
 x 2 
 cm  1
 m1
 m1
____________ m  1

1 g
Also, s 
2 vox 2
g
 vox 
2s

vox 1 g
Hence, vo  
cos  cos  2s
1
 ms
1
 ms
1
____________ m s
 Projectile (7)
( iii ) From the principle of conservation of energy and by neglecting frictional effect,

if m = mass of ball bearing,

then 1
mvo 2  mgh
2
 vo  2 gh
1
 ms
1
 ms
1
___________ m s

Comparing results from

( ii ) v o = ______________ m s -1

and ( iii ) vo = ______________ m s -1 ,

it can be seen that

1. the value of v o from ( ii ) ( practical case ) is ___________________ the value of v o from

( iii ) ( idealized case ).
2. there is a loss of velocity of the ball bearing at the end of the V –track compared to its corresponding
value of idealization where no frictional effect acts due to work done against sliding friction as the
ball bearing slides down the V – track.
 Projectile (8)
Discussion :-
(a) Precautions
1. When taking the readings from a metre rule or from a protractor, ensure that the direction of vision is
perpendicular to the respective scale at the point whose reading is wanted to avoid parallax error.
2. Ensure that the metre rule and the protractor are both vertical when their values of h or θ are taken.
3. Ensure that the values of h are measured from the surface of the bench to the centre of mass of the
ball bearing
4. Also ensure that the values of x are measured from the centre of mass of the ball bearing at the point
where it leaves the V – track to its centre of mass at the point where it strikes the target board to
minimize systematic error.
5. Ensure that both the V- track and the ball bearing are clean and smooth to minimize frictional effect
which may impede the free motion of the ball bearing.
6. The target board must be held vertical and fixed in its position for each value of x with the
carbonised printing paper flush with and firmly attached to its impact surface.
7. Any accidental deflected motion of the ball bearing as it leaves the V – track due to abnormal causes
is to be discarded

(b) Reliability of results

1. The result is accurate subject to the assumption that no frictional force acts on the ball bearing as it
moves down the V – track.
2. The accuracy of the result is subject to the accuracy in the estimation of the positions of the centre
of mass of the ball bearing for the origin as it leaves the origin and also for its subsequent ( x , y )
co-ordinates for each selected value of x which is to be located by the impact point as it hits the
target board.
 Projectile (9)
(c) Comment
1. A relatively smaller but more massive ball bearing enables more consistent and accurate impact points
and results to be obtainable and hence should be used
2. A smooth, hard and even target board enables clear and distinct hit marks to be obtainable which can
improve the accuracy of the results.

Conclusion : -

(i) The trajectory of a projected object subjected to the gravitational acceleration is a parabola

( ii ) There is some loss in the actual velocity of a sliding object down an inclined track due to some work
done against sliding friction along its motion down the track.