14-Sept-2016: Trajectories

Lab 5 Trajectories
Date: 14 September 2016
Lab Partner: Richard Mendoza
Name: Andrew Martinez

Introduction: Using your understanding of projectile motion estimate where the ball will impact on an inclined board.

Apparatus:
- Aluminum "v-channel"
- Steel ball
- Board
- Ring Stand
- Clamp
- Paper
- Carbon paper

The launcher without the board. You can see the ring stand, aluminum "v-channel", clamp, and steel ball.
V-channel is placed at an incline to cause downward acceleration.

Launcher with board. Wood board placed at a 19.2 degree angle, carbon paper on board, and paper underneath carbon paper.

Another view of the inclined view of the apparatus. 

Procedure: Set up apparatus without wooden board. Determine height of the ramp from the floor and incline. Let the steel ball launch from the ramp and determine its range. Does this five times with carbon paper placed under the assumed impact point. Find the distance for each and find the overall average in distance. Place wooden board on table directly underneath the ramp launch point. Using the information learned determine the expected landing point on the wooden table and then place carbon paper on the wooden ramp to measure the actual.

Measured Data
h=94.2 cm
Theta=19.2
D1=108.7 cm, D2=108.1 cm, D3=106.4 cm, D4=106.1 cm, D5=105.8 cm

Finding Velocity
V=242.5 cm/s

Velocity was determined by using the distance, height, and gravity.

Finding Impact Point
Use the angle and velocity found earlier to determine impact point
Estimated distance is 44.25 cm

Distance was determined by using the found angle and velocity as well as subtitution to account for unknowns

Actual distance is 44.6 cm

Conclusion: The percentage error between the approximated and the actual was found to be .78%. This makes the calculations to be extremely accurate. One systematic error would be at what height the steel ball was released on the steel ramp. This could give some increase acceleration at different points.