🎯 Projectile Motion Experiment

Calculate Range, Maximum Height & Time of Flight

✅ FREE Experiment • 🎨 Parabolic Trajectory • 🎓 NEB Class 11 Practical

Launch Simulation

Adjust velocity and angle, then launch to see the parabolic trajectory!

Launch Controls

Range: 10 m/s - 50 m/s

Range: 15° - 75° (45° gives maximum range)

📊 Predicted Values

Range (R): 0.00 m

Max Height (H): 0.00 m

Time of Flight (T): 0.00 s

Real-Time Results

Range (R)
0.0
meters
Maximum Height (H)
0.0
meters
Time of Flight (T)
0.00
seconds
Max Velocity
0
m/s

Observation Table

S.No. Velocity (v₀)
m/s		 Angle (θ)
degrees		 Range (R)
meters		 Max Height (H)
meters		 Time (T)
seconds
No readings yet. Launch projectile and click "Record Reading"

📚 Theory & Concepts

What is Projectile Motion?

Projectile motion is the motion of an object thrown or projected into the air, subject only to gravitational acceleration. The path followed by a projectile is called its trajectory, which is a parabolic curve under uniform gravity.

Key Characteristics

• Horizontal velocity remains constant (no air resistance)
• Vertical velocity changes due to gravity (g = 9.81 m/s²)
• Path is parabolic (combination of horizontal and vertical motion)
• Motion can be analyzed independently in x and y directions

Important Formulas

Range: R = (v₀² sin2θ) / g
Maximum Height: H = (v₀² sin²θ) / (2g)
Time of Flight: T = (2v₀ sinθ) / g

Where:
• v₀ = Initial velocity (m/s)
• θ = Launch angle from horizontal (degrees)
• g = Acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s²)
• R = Horizontal range (m)
• H = Maximum height (m)
• T = Total time in air (s)

Important Points

🔬 Procedure

  1. Set the initial velocity using the velocity slider (10-50 m/s)
  2. Set the launch angle using the angle slider (15-75°)
  3. Observe the predicted values for Range, Height, and Time
  4. Click "Launch Projectile" to fire the cannon
  5. Watch the projectile follow a parabolic path
  6. The trajectory trail shows the complete path
  7. Click "Record Reading" to add to observation table
  8. Try different angles and observe how trajectory changes
  9. Note that 45° gives maximum range for any given velocity
  10. Compare theoretical predictions with observed results

💬 Viva Questions & Answers

Q1: What is projectile motion?
Projectile motion is the motion of an object thrown or projected into the air, subject only to the acceleration of gravity. The object is called a projectile, and its path is called its trajectory.
Q2: At what angle is range maximum?
The range is maximum when the projectile is launched at an angle of 45° to the horizontal. At this angle, both horizontal and vertical components of velocity are optimized for maximum distance.
Q3: What is the shape of projectile trajectory?
The trajectory of a projectile is parabolic. This is because the horizontal motion is uniform (constant velocity) while the vertical motion is uniformly accelerated (due to gravity).
Q4: What is time of flight?
Time of flight is the total time for which the projectile remains in air from the moment of projection until it returns to the same horizontal level. It is given by T = (2v₀sinθ)/g.
Q5: Why does horizontal velocity remain constant?
Horizontal velocity remains constant because there is no horizontal force acting on the projectile (assuming no air resistance). Gravity only acts vertically downward.
Q6: What happens at the highest point?
At the highest point of trajectory, the vertical component of velocity becomes zero while the horizontal component remains unchanged. The projectile has only horizontal velocity at this point.
Q7: What are complementary angles?
Two angles are complementary if they add up to 90°. In projectile motion, complementary angles (like 30° and 60°, or 40° and 50°) produce the same range for a given initial velocity.
Q8: How does gravity affect projectile motion?
Gravity acts vertically downward with acceleration g = 9.81 m/s². It continuously decreases the upward vertical velocity, brings the projectile to a stop at maximum height, and then accelerates it downward.
Q9: What is the formula for range?
The formula for range is R = (v₀² sin2θ)/g, where v₀ is initial velocity, θ is launch angle, and g is acceleration due to gravity.
Q10: Give real-life examples of projectile motion.
Examples include: (1) A football kicked at an angle, (2) Water from a fountain, (3) A basketball shot towards the hoop, (4) An arrow shot from a bow, (5) A cannonball fired from a cannon.