Connor Driscall

2/18/2015
Physics 11 Honors
Ball in box lab
Introduction
The objective of this lab was to attempt to calculate where a small metal ball
would land determined from the time and distance it was launched. Using the
calculations students would determine the angle of the launcher to assure that the
ball land inside a box. The lab connects to the unit in class by having students apply
the fundamentals of two dimensional kinematics to what they were doing.
Materials and Procedure
The lab would be carried out in two phases; the initial trials determining
calculations from the each launch. To carry out such a spring loader would be
mounted and secured to a table. Once secured, a small metal ball was loaded inside
a spring loader. It would be primed three times to ensure a powerful launch could be
obtained. The balls flight would be timed, and would be factored in to the rest of
the known variables. After however many trials groups decided to conduct, they
would use this information to find the average time and begin trying to find out
what angle was needed to land the ball inside the box for the second initial stage.
The second phase consisted of testing out our proposed calculation results. Groups
were moved to a stairwell and a box was placed at the bottom of the stairs whilst
the launcher was mounted at the top. Groups would set the launcher at the angle
they thought would land the ball into the box.

Data Collection
Trial
1
2
3
4
5
6

Seconds
1.06
1.2
1.16
1.11
1.01
1.1

Experimental Improvement
Flaws in the experiment would have included incorrectly measured timings
that could potentially throw off the result of the experiment. This flaw might have
affected the entirety of the calculations causing an end result of the ball not ending
up in the box in the final phase of the experiment. A secondary flaw would have
included math errors on students part, any single miscalculation potentially could
jeopardize the entire experiment, ending up in a wrong angle of launch at the final
phase; causing a ball that does not go into the box. Such flaws can be prevented by
accurate timing and responsiveness. Also a better understanding of the math
associated with the experiment would prevent flaws as well as good examination of
the work that was done to see if there are any flaws in the calculation.

Conclusion
A better understanding of two dimensional kinematics was achieved though this
experiment. Students would be able to learn further on the subject by applying what
they had learned throughout the unit to the lab that was conducted. Students would
be able to the movement of an object on the x and y axis and from predetermined
variables and acquired ones, be able to predict where it could land. This further
helped theyre development for physics and later they will build upon it in future
units and labs. The result of the lab included the ball proceeding to land inside the
box with the launch during the final phases of the lab.