Projectile Motion Worksheet
Goal: Investigate how launch angle, launch speed and gravity change a projectile’s range, peak height and flight time, and explain the results with the projectile formulas.
What to do
- Press Reset, then the “Maximum range” preset (20 m/s at 45°). Record the range, peak height and flight time in the first row.
- Change only the Launch angle: set it to 30°, then to 60°, and record both rows.
- Press Reset, then “Low arc” (25°), and record the row.
- Press Reset and set Launch speed to 40 m/s. Record the row. Then press Reset and “Moon gravity”, and record the last row.
Record your results
| Setting | Range | Peak height | Flight time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 m/s at 45° (Maximum range) | |||
| 20 m/s at 30° | |||
| 20 m/s at 60° | |||
| 20 m/s at 25° (Low arc) | |||
| 40 m/s at 45° | |||
| 20 m/s at 45°, Moon gravity |
Questions
Compare the 30° and 60° launches. What is the same and what is different? Use the range formula R = v₀² sin(2θ) / g to explain.
Which angle gave the longest range at 20 m/s? Why is 45° the best angle in this model?
Doubling the launch speed from 20 m/s to 40 m/s multiplied the range by what factor? Explain using the formula.
On the Moon (g = 1.62 m/s²), how much farther did the same launch go? Explain the factor.
At 20 m/s and 45°, the horizontal speed stays 14.14 m/s for the whole flight. Why doesn’t gravity change it?
Challenge: which other launch angle gives the same range as 25° at 20 m/s? Predict, then check it in the lab.
Free from The Physics Lab · thephysicslab.org · HS-PS2-1: Analyze data to show that Newton’s second law relates net force, mass and acceleration.