To find out the meaning of a "projectile,"we used the example of shooting a basketball. Using the Vernier Video Physics app on our iPads, we were able to film the entire course of the ball; from being released by the persons hand to hitting the floor. In this lab we not only learned how to utilize the video app but also how to dissect the different aspects of an object that has been projected or thrown, including its velocity and acceleration.
At the top of the graph below, we were able to find the acceleration of the ball due to its slope.
- Change in Y(meters) / Change in T (time) = acceleration
- Slope is NOT constant
At the bottom of the graph, we were able to find the peak of the balls flight; the maximum height. When the line passes through the X-axis, that is what represents the moment in which it has reached the max point.
The top of this graph (the red line) represents the X-Dimension (horizontal). The slope of this line is the Vx (velocity). Vx is constant and therefore is always positive.
The bottom of this graph (yellow line) represents the velocity constant as well. Though it appears to be inconsistent, that is only because it is zoomed in so much.
To tie all of the components in,
we used whiteboards to draw out all of the ideas and concepts we discovered.
1. Projectile motion is when the only force acting upon the object is Force of gravity (Fg).
2. An objects acceleration in the vertical direction is due to gravity and is independent of its mass.
The Big Questions:
1. How do forces cause objects to move in circles?
In order for objects to move in circles, there needs to be a force towards the center of the circle. In our lab, we turned on the hover discs therefore extracting the force of friction. Attached to the hover disc was a string that was being held onto by a person. Acting as the center of the circle/orbit, the person exerted a force on the string and by pulling it towards them, caused the hover disc to circulate perfectly. This a real small picture example with such a HUGE picture idea; it explains how the earth orbits!
2. What does it mean to be in orbit? How do satellites orbit planets and how do planets orbit the sun?
Just like the hover discs orbited around the person, satellites orbit around the earth and the earth orbits around the sun. Both contain the idea that there is a force toward the center of the objects orbital path keeping everything on course. For satellites, because of the speed the station is traveling at, they are actually in constant free fall. But then why don't they just fall back to earth? Due to the Earths roundness, the space station seems to be orbiting the Earth when it is truly falling but being pulled towards the earths core.
To find out the meaning of a "projectile,"we used the example of shooting a basketball. Using the Vernier Video Physics app on our iPads, we were able to film the entire course of the ball; from being released by the persons hand to hitting the floor. In this lab we not only learned how to utilize the video app but also how to dissect the different aspects of an object that has been projected or thrown, including its velocity and acceleration. 
