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Experiments​

Projectile Motion

Experiment #4 from Vernier Video Analysis: Motion and Sports

Education Level
High School
College
Subject
Physics

Introduction

Up to this point it is likely that you have examined the motion of an object in one dimension only—either falling vertically under the influence of Earth’s gravity or on a horizontal or inclined surface.

In this experiment, you will examine the behavior of a projectile—an object moving in space due to some initial launching force. Such an object can undergo motion in two dimensions simultaneously. Using the Vernier Video Analysis app, you will compare features of the position vs. time and velocity vs. time graphs with those of one-dimensional motion.

Objectives

In this experiment, you will

  • Use video analysis techniques to obtain position, velocity, and time data for a projectile.
  • Analyze the position vs. time and velocity vs. time graphs for both the horizontal and vertical components of the projectile’s motion.
  • Create and analyze your own video of an object undergoing projectile motion.

Sensors and Equipment

This experiment features the following sensors and equipment. Additional equipment may be required.

Correlations

Teaching to an educational standard? This experiment supports the standards below.

International Baccalaureate (IB) 2025/Physics
The students should understand the behaviour of projectiles in the absence of fluid resistance, and the application of the equations of motion resolved into vertical and horizontal components

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Purchase the Lab Book

This experiment is #4 of Vernier Video Analysis: Motion and Sports. The experiment in the book includes student instructions as well as instructor information for set up, helpful hints, and sample graphs and data.

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