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Projectile Motion Introduction Simulation Activity1

This document provides instructions for a lab on projectile motion using an online simulation. The learning goals are to predict how initial conditions affect projectile paths, explain terms, and understand why simulations are useful. Students are asked to identify factors affecting projectiles, draw flight paths, explain terms to a friend, compare real experiments to the simulation, and make predictions to test their understanding.

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NK - 10CE 703543 Turner Fenton SS
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© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
152 views

Projectile Motion Introduction Simulation Activity1

This document provides instructions for a lab on projectile motion using an online simulation. The learning goals are to predict how initial conditions affect projectile paths, explain terms, and understand why simulations are useful. Students are asked to identify factors affecting projectiles, draw flight paths, explain terms to a friend, compare real experiments to the simulation, and make predictions to test their understanding.

Uploaded by

NK - 10CE 703543 Turner Fenton SS
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SPH3U0-B Projectile Motion

This lab uses the Projectile Motion simulation from PhET Interactive Simulations at University
of Colorado Boulder, under the CC-BY 4.0 license.
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/projectile-motion/latest/projectile-motion_en.html

Learning Goals: Students will be able to


● Predict how varying initial conditions affect a projectile path
● Use reasoning to explain the predictions.
● Explain projectile motion terms in their own words.
● Describe why using the simulation is a good method for studying projectiles.

Everyday Physics in your life:


1. As you get ready for bed, you roll up one of your socks into a tight ball and toss it into the
laundry basket across the room. Then, you try to toss the other sock without rolling it up. What
effects whether your socks land in the basket?

Develop your understanding:


2. Use Intro screen to test your ideas about the things that affect the landing location of a
projectile.

a. Make a complete list of things that affect the landing site of a projectile including your
ideas from question #1 and any discoveries you made using the simulation.
b. Next to each item, briefly explain why you think the landing location changes.

3. What is meant by the expression “flight path of a projectile”? Draw the flight path of your
socks and describe the shape. Use the simulation to investigate how the items you listed in #2
affect the shape of the flight path. Summarize your discoveries including explanations for the
different flight paths.

4. Suppose your friend asks you to tell them about projectiles. You start to explain, but she
interrupts. “Wait,” she says, “You’re using a lot of words I don’t understand. Can you explain in
English?” Knowing that a picture is worth a thousand words, you draw a picture of a projectile
path and label all the terms that are on the simulation page. Draw a picture like you would for
your friend and write what you would tell her about the terms. Insert an image of your drawing if
you can.

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SPH3U0-B Projectile Motion

5. Describe in your own words why using the simulation is a good method for studying
projectiles. Include the error sources the simulation eliminates (or minimizes) and what
representations the simulation provides that are helpful.

Expand your understanding:


6. Use the Lab screen to expand your ideas about what affects the landing location and path
of a projectile. List any discoveries you made to identify additional things that affect the
landing site of a projectile and/or path of a projectile. Next to each item, briefly explain why
you think the motion of the projectile is affected.

7. Compare your everyday experiences to the simulation. Design a few tests like rolling things
off a table or tossing some things into a basket or bowl to determine how well the simulation
represents projectile motion. Some good objects are tightly rolled socks or paper crumpled into a
ball. Write about your experiments and compare them to the simulation.

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SPH3U0-B Projectile Motion

Test your understanding and self-check: For each question, predict your answer and support
your answer with an explanation. Then use the Lab screen to verify and add screen captures to
your explanation.

1. Prediction and explanation with support

2. Prediction and explanation with support

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SPH3U0-B Projectile Motion

3. Prediction and explanation with support

4. Prediction and explanation with support

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SPH3U0-B Projectile Motion

5. Prediction and explanation with support

6. Prediction and explanation with support

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SPH3U0-B Projectile Motion

7. Prediction and explanation with support

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