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Phys4A-Lab9

The lab focuses on extending the analysis of the ballistic pendulum from Lab 7 by refining calculations related to moment of inertia and energy of rotation. Students will derive expressions for the predicted range of a projectile launched from the pendulum and analyze the results by comparing measured and predicted values. The lab emphasizes the importance of mass distribution and other factors affecting the accuracy of the measurements.

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2 views

Phys4A-Lab9

The lab focuses on extending the analysis of the ballistic pendulum from Lab 7 by refining calculations related to moment of inertia and energy of rotation. Students will derive expressions for the predicted range of a projectile launched from the pendulum and analyze the results by comparing measured and predicted values. The lab emphasizes the importance of mass distribution and other factors affecting the accuracy of the measurements.

Uploaded by

winahyatno
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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LAB 9: Extending the Ballistic Pendulum Analysis of

Lab 7∗

Equipment List:
ballistic pendulum assembly
pen
ruler
calculator

Purpose: To apply our knowledge of moment of inertia and energy of rotation to the
ballistic pendulum.

Introduction: No new data will be taken in this short lab. You will simply refine your
calculation from Lab 7 using data you took during that lab. You will incorporate this analysis
into the analysis and conclusion of your lab report for Lab 7.

Theory: Let h be the maximum height through which the center of mass of the pendulum
arm rose in your experiment.
You will derive and expression for R0 , the predicted range of the ball fired from the
ballistic pendulum gun using the conservation of angular momentum.
Step 1: Using your measurement of the period of the pendulum, T , derive an expression
for the moment of inertia of the pendulum arm with the ball in the catcher, I, by the
following method. Refer to Chapter 15, page 466 of Serway and Jewett, 9th edition. For an
oscillating pendulum with moment of inertia I:
d2 θ
τnet = Iα ⇒ −M g` sin θ = I
dt2
where ` is the distance from the pivot to the center of mass and M = mp + mb is the total
mass of the pendulum arm and ball. First use the approximation that for small angles
sin θ ≈ θ. Then, suggest a solution, θ(t), to this differential equation and expression for ω,
the angular frequency and T the time period, in terms of M, g, `, and I. Now, rearrange
that expression so that it is for I in terms of T .
Step 2: Derive a new expression for vb the launch speed of the ball, in terms of
I, M, mb , g, h, and `0 , where `0 is the distance from the pivot point to the place the
ball strikes the pendulum arm (`0 > `). To do this, you will need to equate angular mo-
mentum before and after the collision of the ball with the pendulum arm to find vb in terms
of the angular speed ω of the arm after the collision. Then use the conservation of energy
(assuming all rotational kinetic energy becomes gravitational potential energy of the center-
of-mass of the pendulum arm) to find an expression for ω just after the collision and use
that to eliminate ω from the expression for vb .
∗
Partially based on the Pasco Ballistic Pendulum Manual.

1
Step 3: Use your expression for I in terms of T to get an expression for vb that depends
on T instead of I.
Step 4: Using the projectile motion equations, find an expression for the range R0 of a
projectile, launched horizontally from a height d with a speed vb . (You already did this in
Lab 7; the expression will be the same.)
Step 5: Put these expressions together to obtain an expression for R0 in terms of T , M ,
h, mb , d, `, `0 , and g.
Step 6: Calculate a numerical value of R0 in terms of those quantities that you measured
in Lab 7.

More Analysis and Conclusion:

Find the percentage difference between the values R̄meas and R0 . Are they closer than
R̄meas and Rpred ? (Remember, Rpred was the calculated theoretical value from Lab 7, assum-
ing that all the mass in the pendulum arm was located at the center of mass.) How close
are Rpred and R0 ?
What effect do you think the mass distribution of the pendulum has on the results? Was
it the major source of error in this lab or were there other factors that were more important
that effected the value of R̄meas ?

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