Science of the Amusement Park: Chance or Science?
Is throwing the baseball to knock down the bottles or
throwing the ping-pong ball into the fish bowl or
firing corks out of a rifle,
a game of chance or example of science at work?

Throwing or shooting is called projectile motion in science. This assignment will examine projectile motion using the Ballistic Simulator. Through experimentation, you will discover patterns and YOU will develop the ideas to explain how projectile motion works and how each variable affects it. The Ballistic Simulator has 5 variables and these are the initial settings:

Angle: 60 degrees Velocity 50 Gravity: -9.8 m/sec per sec Density: 1.1 Windage: 0

Remember that in an experiment, all variables stay the same EXCEPT one. By varying that one, you can discover its effect.

Use experimentation to discover:

1. How does the angle of the projectile affects where it lands ?

2. How does velocity affect projectile motion?

3. How does gravity affect projectile motion?

4. How do windage and density affect projectile motion?

DIRECTIONS: On the internet, go to our homepage (http://www.leon.leon.k12.fl.us/mcquone/mcquone.html), pick Science of the Amusement Park and select Chance or Science: Projectile Motion. Print this page, the data tables and graphs. Then pick Ballistic Simulator and have fun. Notice that each new shot has a trajectory which is color coded. You get a maximum of 4 shots; when out of ammo press the more button.

Ballistic simulator (http://jersey.uoregon.edu/vlab/Cannon/index.html) or

Ballistic Simulator (http://zebu.uoregon.edu/nsf/cannon.html )

ASSIGNMENT:

1. How does the angle of the projectile affects where it lands ?

Using the Ballistic Simulator and the graph paper included, write the horizontal and vertical velocity and draw the graph for each table (using angle data, blank data table,graph). Label each path with its angle. Then tape all 4 graphs for Part 1 together in order from smallest to highest data and answer the questions below.

(Explanations need graphs. Single number answers will not be accepted.)

Note: gravity on earth is -9.8 m/sec2, wind = 0 and density = 1.1

a. How does the increase of the angle of the projectile affect its path both vertically and horizontally? Pick the most appropriate graph and explain.

b. What angle would you pick to make the ball land the FARTHEST from you? (The answer is not one of the ones on your chart. You will have to experiment.) Graph your results and explain.




c. What angle would you pick to make the ball go the HIGHEST? Explain.

d. What happens when you use an angle of 92 degrees? Show the graph your answer.

2. How does velocity affect projectile motion?

Using the Ballistic Simulator and the graph paper included, write the horizontal and vertical distance (using velocity data, blank data table,graph) and draw the graph for each table. Label each path with its velocity. Then tape all 5 graphs for Part 2 together in order from smallest to highest data and answer the questions below.

(Explanations need graphs. Single number answers will not be accepted.)

Note: gravity on earth is -9.8 m/sec2 , wind = 0, density = 1.1

a. How does velocity of the projectile affect its path?







b. List any other observations.

3. How does gravity affect projectile motion?

Pick a setting of angle and velocity where the ball falls just about 150 units from the cannon. Using one blank table and graph, chart the path of a ball as it would fall on each planet and the moon. Use these gravity settings.

a. On which planet/moon does a ball go the farthest horizontal distance?

b. On which planet/moon does a ball go the shortest horizontal distance?

c. On which planet/moon a ball go the highest vertical distance?

d. On which planet/moon does a ball go the lowest vertical distance?

e. Describe in general how differently a ball falls on other planetary bodies?

4. How do windage and density affect projectile motion?

Create 2 experiments changing only one variable at a time. (You must turn on Drag button so windage will work.)

a. Using a graph, show your results for each variable.
b. What does the negative and positive windage mean? Show results in a graph.

 

5. Create an experiment to discover how many combinations of angle and velocity will allow the cannon ball to hit the target. (Make sure you return to the initial settings first.) Name some combinations. What is the pattern?

 

6. Now that you have explored some of the variables that determine projectile motion, it is time to think about projectile motion at the amusement park. Write the answers on loose leaf paper.

1. Describe one of the games that involve shooting or throwing at the park.
2. Draw a sketch of the game.
3. Explain the variables that you know are involved.
4. Explain what kinds of other variables could be introduced that would change how the projectile works so that fewer people could "win".

If you liked the Ballistic simulator, try these simulation programs.

Virtual Laboratories: Interactive programs for teaching and learning science concepts

Interactive Thin Lens Demonstration

Interactive cross product

Interactive electric fields

The solar system (demonstration but not really interactive)

Virtual Laboratory: many simulations are available here.

Biology applications

Physics applications

for example:

Interactive Physics and Math with Java

Chemistry applications