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Scientific Principles: When you put the ball inside and release the car both the car and the ball are moving at the same velocity. When the string is tugged the ball is released and it gets affected by both Gravity and the velocity gained from being inside the car. This is when the ball is turned into a projectile and starts moving in a parabolic function. So, the scientific principles behind this project are: Gravity, Velocity, Parabolas, Vectors, and Projectiles. The vectors are drawn out in the picture to the left. To analyze the motion, separate the two-dimensional motion into vertical and horizontal components. Vertically, the object undergoes constant acceleration due to gravity. Horizontally, the object experiences no acceleration and , therefore, maintains a constant velocity. On the picture to the left the motion is already broken into components. Since they are already broken up into two vectors then we can set up two equations: for the horizontal direction, vx = vx0*t; for vertical direction, vy = vy0 - gt. The speed of the projectile at any instant can be calculated with the equation v = sqrt(vx^2+vy^2)
Projectile motion- a form of motion in which an object of particle, most commonly referred to as a projectile, is launched through the air in a curved path near the earth's surface. Gravity, being the only force to affect this mass, pulls it down creating an arc.
Introduction: The Ballistic Car is intended to explain the relationship and concepts of projectiles and motion. In the project there is also other concepts of physics involved like parabolas, constant acceleration, ballistic trajectory, and vector components.
Driving Question: What kind of motion can be observed in the horizontal and vertical motion of a projectile?
Investigation Questions:
Can a ball tossed vertically from a cart accelerating down an inclined plane land back in the car? No, the ball would not land inside the car because of the forces acting upon it. As you can see the vectors acting upon the car on the picture to the left, they are vectors acting while the system is horizontal to the ground. Since the car is going through an inclined plane the vector Vy is moved a few degrees downward, making the ball fall to the ground faster than the car is moving.
Once a projectile is launched, what force or forces act upon it? Explain your answer. Is
there a component of projectile motion that can be considered as free fall? If so, how
do you know? If not, explain why not. The forces acting on a projectile include Gravity which makes it go in the parabolic motion and velocity. The velocity is from when the ball was moving at a constant speed inside the car. These two components are the reason why that ball lands inside the tunnel once again.
Can an object’s velocity and acceleration vectors be pointing in opposite directions? If so, give examples. If not, explain why not. Yes both the acceleration and velocity vectors may be pointing in opposite directions. You can be walking backwards and your velocity is towards the way you are moving but your acceleration is negative, meaning to the opposite direction.
What is a projectile? What are some projectiles that you encounter in daily life? A projectile is an object propelled through the air. Projectiles in daily life can range from a golf ball in flight to a curve ball thrown by a pitcher.
Can a ball tossed vertically from an accelerating car land back in the car? Would it land in the cart if the cart passes through a tunnel just after the ball is tossed? Yes if definitely can, that is what this project is all about. Yes of course the ball would land back inside the cart even if it goes through a tunnel, and you can see this happen in the homepage video.
Can a ball tossed vertically from an accelerating cart land back in the cart? Yes, the same concept from the above question is at play here. Because both the car and the ball are accelerating at the same rate. So when the ball is launched it accelerates with the cart allowing the ball to land inside the cart.
When a ball is tossed into the air, how do you know that its velocity has a magnitude of zero at some point before the ball is caught again? Well, like all objects thrown upwards, we can only assume that at some point the objects magnitude should be at zero at some point. This point is usually at the peak of the balls ascent. So in theory the balls magnitude is at zero when it is at the peak of its ascent, as it is demonstrated on the picture on the top left corner.
Materials:
Ballistic Car or Pastco Car track (the pastco would be harder, so i recommend that you use the Ballistic Car)
Metal Ball
A Tunnel
a Camera to record everything.
Procedure: Place the ball inside the the ballistics cars tube, push down until you hear the click from the spring, then attach the string to the metal screw that sets off the spring (should come with the kit). Last push the cart and pull the string really hard, the car should be moving and the ball should have popped out and landed inside the car several inches later. Make sure you record that. Second put the tunnel and measure the distance so the ball can land inside the carts tube on the other side of the tunnel.
Warning!!!!!!!
Do not eat the metal ball or give it to small children as they might choke with it.
Do not put your face where the ball shoots out from, it hurts TRUST ME!!!!
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