Hitting the Target

Physics F completed their projectile motion lab activity, which had students measure the launch velocity of a horizontal projectile and predict its landing point on the floor. They had to hit the target in one go and students did a very good job with their calculations to make that happen. Tomorrow, we'll review the lab and then take a loot at projectiles launched at an angle.

Physics B completed their discussion of horizontally-launched projectiles before moving to projectiles launched at an angle. That situations is a bit more complicated than for horizontal projectiles, but it can still be thought of simply as an object in free fall that happens to have a horizontal component to its velocity. The motion is still parabolic and, provided the launch and landing points are at the same height, symmetrical. We'll review this a little tomorrow before moving on to satellite motion.

Honors Physics reviewed their vector combination work and took time to start applying these ideas to horizontal projectiles. When you are working with horizontally-launched projectiles, there are bits of information you can count on:

• Horizontal velocity remains constant (if air resistance is negligible)
• The initial velocity in the y-direction is 0 m/s
• The acceleration in the y-direction is -9.81 m/s²

With those bits, calculating things like time in the air and range become simple, as you saw for your projectile motion lab. We'll review your horizontal projectile homework problems tomorrow before moving on to projectiles launched at an angle.

Physical Science reviewed their Graphing Your Motion investigations before and spent time reviewing the basic vocabulary and mathematics of distance/displacement and speed/velocity. Tomorrow, we pick up with the vector nature of velocity (and the scalar nature of speed), before dipping our toes in acceleration.

Homework

Honors Physics: Practice 3D
Physics B: p. 40 of ancillary reading packet #8 - 14
Physics F: Complete Projectile Motion lab write up
Physical Science : Chapter 10 Review items #12, 15, 16, 24, 25, 26, 30