top of page

Projectile Bullseye 

Purpose: To hit the bullseye on the first shot using the calculations you have made and at a random height given by your teacher. 

 

 

Hypothesis: We believe that if we find the correct calculations then we will get the ball bearing to hit the target given any height. 

Materials: 

  • ball bearing

  • ramp 

  • carbon paper

  • target sheet 

  • metre stick

  • ruler 

  • plumb bob

  • masking tape

  • explorer

  • photogates

  • dynamics ramp 

Procedure: 

  1. Gather all the materials. 

  2. Make the dynamic ramp balanced by moving the knobs. 

  3. Put the blue ramp on the dynamic ramp. 

  4. Measure the mass of the ball in kg using the mass scale. 

  5. Put the masking tape around the ball bearing to calculate the circumference using a ruler. Using the circumference formula rearange fot radius.   

  6. Calculate the theoretical velocity at the bottom of the ramp by using the Et=Et' equation. At the top there is only gravitational potential energy and at the bottom only kinetic energy. Using this expand that equation to mgh = 1/2mv2, then solve for v. 

  7. Put the photogate on the dynamic ramp where the ball bearing will slide through to measure the time. Do this 5 times to get average time. Record this on your calculation sheet.

  8. The diameter was the distance the ball stayed in the photo gate and the average time was the time it stayed in the photo gate. Using v=d/t equation, calculate the actual velocity of the ball at the bottom of the ramp.

  9. Now subtract the actual velocity from the theoretical velocity to get the energy lost . Then divide the loss in velocity by the  distance from the top of the ramp to the bottom. This will give you how much velocity was lost per meter.

  10. Now ask your teacher to give you the height. Using the height calculate the theoretical velocity using the mgh = 1/2mv2 equation. Then multiply the velocity lost per metre by the distance from that height to the bottom of the ramp. Then subtract that value from the theoretical velocity to get the actual velocity.

  11. Use the kinematics equation to find the displacement in the x direction using the calculated velocity value in step 10. 

  12. Place the bulls eye paper according to the displacement value calculated.

  13. Put 2 carbon papers on top of the bulls eye paper to get where the ball bearing drops. 

  14. Drop the ball bearing and hope for the best bullseye. 

     

     

     

bottom of page