Lesson 8 of 12 · Kinematics
Experiment⭐ 30 XPProjectile Motion Splits Into Two Independent Parts
Kinematics.
🎯 Your mission
Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.
⚡ The twist
Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.
Mind = Blown
🔬 The more you look, the more nature shows you.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.
What You'll Learn
A projectile's horizontal and vertical motions are independent. Horizontally there is no acceleration, so velocity stays constant; vertically gravity accelerates it downwards. Solve each direction separately and share only the time between them.
Key Words
Tap a word to see its definition.
Materials Needed
- marble
- table
- tape measure
- carbon paper or sand tray
Safety First
- Clear the floor so nobody slips on a stray marble.
Steps
Read the explanation above and note the two key terms before you start.
Roll a marble off the edge of a table and mark where it lands. Measure the table height and the horizontal range. Use the height to find the fall time, then divide range by that time to get the launch speed. Repeat with a faster roll and check the time is unchanged.
Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.
Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 2A ball is rolled off a table faster. Its time to hit the floor:
Where you see this in real life
This shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Try one experiment in real life this week — even a tiny one.
For the dinner table
“What's the most surprising thing you learned today?”
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Projectile Motion Splits Into Two Independent Parts
Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.
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