AP Physics B Name__________________________________
PhET Projectile Motion Lab
Google “PhET Projectile”, it will be the first hit
(if you NEED a URL, it’s http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/projectile-motion)
Then click the button beneath the picture. Take a
few minutes to familiarize yourself with the simulation and
shoot stuff with the cannon. Once you’ve somewhat satisfied
your primal desires to shoot things, follow along with the
questions below. Use complete sentences, yo.
1. Look at the “height” box at the top. What kinematics term
does it actually stand for, and what point is it relative to?
(hint: shoot the cannon once and watch the number closely). Explain your reasoning.
2. Fire the projectile launcher straight upwards (angle = 90o) at 18 m/s. Using kinematics, determine:
a) the time it should take the projectile to reach maximum height
b) the maximum height reached by the projectile
c) Now, using the measuring tape, measure the actual height reached by the projectile (remember to measure
from the little plus sign at the base of the cannon). Was your answer to (b) the same as this measurement?
If it wasn’t, check your math over and find your mistake.
