Lab # 5- Trajectories

Lab # 5- Trajectories
Alexander Reyes
Lab Partners: Mike Flores & Mike
Performed: 9/14/16
Statement: Using concepts learned from projectile motion in order to predict the impact point of a ball on an incline.
Theory/Introduction: An apparatus will be constructed in order to roll a ball off an inclined board and off the desk. For part one of the experiment the launch speed will be calculated. For part two of the experiment the distance the ball strikes the board from the edge of the table will be calculated.
Apparatus/Experimental Procedure: For this experiment an apparatus was built like the one seen below. The materials used to build the apparatus was an aluminum "v-channel", board, ring stand, clamp, paper, carbon paper, and steel ball. Part 1 of the experiment, a ball was launched from near the top of the apparatus and was observed to identify the landing location. Once the landing location was identified carbon paper was taped onto the floor,  and the ball was launched five times in order to determine that it would land in the same place every time. Part 2 of the experiment, an incline board was attached to the edge of the table. The ball was then launched toward the top of the apparatus five different times at the same height. The landing point onto the inclined board was observed and then carbon paper was taped in order to determine that the ball would land on the same spot each time.


Part 1 Data: Below is the calculation done for the launch speed. The height from the floor to edge of the table was found to be .942 +/- .001 meters and the distance the ball rolled off the table was found to be .780 +/- .001 meters. a kinematic equation was set up to find the launch speed which was 1.78m/s.



Part 2 Data: Below are the calculations done for part 2 of the experiment. An expression was derived below in order to find distance the ball rolled off the table.By determining the angle of the board which was 41 degrees and having the velocity of the ball 1.78m/s, the distance the ball rolled off the table and hit the incline board was found to be .745m.




Conclusion: Projectile motion concepts were utilized in order to conclude the landing location of a ball on an incline board.For part one of the experiment the launch velocity(1.78m/s) was calculated by finding the height from the edge of the desk and the distance the ball landed from the desk. For part 2 of the experiment the distance the ball traveled from the desk and onto an incline board was determined by using the velocity found in part one, and an angle measured(41 degrees). Distance experimentally calculated for part two was .745 m. Uncertainties for this lab could have consisted of small pieces of debris on the aluminum v channel where the ball was launched from and could have slightly altered the launch speed.