PBL Project Page

Driving Question:

What kind of motion can be observed in the horizontal and vertical motion of a projectile?

Introduction:

The purpose of the Ballistic Car is to show that the horizontal component of the ball’s velocity must equal that of the car itself despite the large continuous changes in the vertical component of the ball’s velocity, and explains how the ball can fall right back into the barrel of the gun.

Materials:

♦ PASCO Ballistic cart accessory

♦ PASCO Dynamics cart

♦ PASCO Dynamics track

♦ Clamp-on pulley

♦ String

♦ 50-gram Mass and hanger

♦ Table clamp and rod

♦ Rod clamp for Dynamics track

Procedure:

First, I set up the track, cart, the clamps, and the barrel on a flat surface. I also attach

the rod clamp to the track as well as the motion sensor.I load up the Capstone Software

on the laptop which is set up with the motion sensor. I make all the adjustments i need to

the ballistic cart accessory (barrel). I set the cart at the end of the track and get ready to

press the record button that starts the motion sensor. I give a little push to the cart and it

should successfully touch the rod clamp and ball should be released. If done correctly,

the ball should return in the barrel successfully using the principle of Projectile Motion.

Scientific Principles

Projectile motion

Projectile motion is a form of motion in which an object or particle (called a projectile) is thrown obliquely near the earth's surface, and it moves along a curved path under the action of gravity only.

Constant acceleration

Constant acceleration is a type of motion in which the velocity of an object changes by an equal amount in every equal time period.

Ballistic trajectory

The ballistic trajectory of a projectile is the path that a thrown or launched projectile will take under the action of gravity, neglecting all other forces, such as friction from air resistance without propulsion.

Newton’s Three Laws of Motion

Newton's laws of motion are three physical laws that together laid the foundation for classical mechanics. They describe the relationship between a body and the forces acting upon it, and its motion in response to those forces.