Projectile Motion

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.