Lab Assignment: Projectile Motion Laboratory: Preparation
- Read all directions before beginning the lab.
- You can find this virtual lab at http://phet.colorado.edu/simulations/projectilemotion/projectile.swf. You will notice that the lab contains cannon, which can shoot various projectiles as well as a toolbar for changing the different parameters that control the projectile. At the bottom of the screen, you can see a silver box with a yellow circle. This is an adjustable tape measure that allows you to measure distance.
- Prepare your spreadsheet to record your data. You will need two identical data tables. The first column should be labeled Trial and the rows below it numbered 1 through 5. The next columns should be labeled Initial Speed (m/s), Displacement
(m), Displacement 
(m), and Time (s). - Investigate the virtual lab apparatus. You can adjust many of the features of the cannon by using the box on the right of the screen.
- You can choose the type of projectile. For the purposes of this lab, “user choice” will work well.
- You can adjust the angle of the cannon, but for this lab you are going to only investigate motion that has an initial angle of zero. So type 0 in the box next to “degrees.”
- You will keep the parameters “mass” and “diameter” constant in this lab, so do not change these values.
- Set the “drag coefficient” to 0. For the purposes of this lab, you will disregard air resistance; make sure that the box is left unchecked.
- The “Fire” button causes a projectile to be fired from the cannon. You can see the path it follows on the screen and the path will remain on the screen until you click the “Erase” button.
- Click and drag the center of the cannon’s wheel. This moves the cannon around the screen. Notice that you can move it in both horizontal and vertical directions.