LAB REPORT NO.

3
APPLIED PHYSICS
MINI LAUNCHER(Part 2)

Submitted by Group (A-6)

ME-06 A
(a) Imad ud din Zawar
(b) Muhammad Owais
(c) Mohsin tanveer

Submitted to:
Mam Maryam Bibi

School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering

National University of Sciences and Technology
 PROJECTILE PATH

Abstract:
This experiment was performed to find how the vertical distance the ball drops is related to the
horizontal distance the ball travels when launched horizontally from a table.

Theory:
The range is the horizontal distance, x, between the muzzle of the Launcher and the place
where the ball hits, given by x = v0t, where v0 is the initial speed of the ball as it leaves the
muzzle and t is the time of flight.
If the ball is shot horizontally, the time of flight of the ball will be

=
0

The vertical distance, y, that the ball falls in time t is given by

1 2
=
2

where g is the acceleration due to gravity.

Substituting for t into the equation for y gives

y= 2
20 2
A plot of y versus x2 will give a straight line with a slope equal to2 2
0
Procedure:

Measure the vertical height from the floor to the muzzle and record in Table 4.1. Mark
this height on the target.

Measure the horizontal distance from the muzzle of the Mini Launcher to the target and
record in Table 4.1.

Shoot the ball.

Move the target about 5 cm closer to the Launcher.

Repeat Steps 2 through 4 until the ball strikes the target about 10 cm below the muzzle
height.

Calculations:

Sr no X y X2
1 1.82 1.25 3.3124
2 1.72 1.11 2.9584
3 1.67 1.05 2.7889
4 1.62 0.98 2.6299
5 1.57 0.92 2.4649
6 1.52 0.86 2.3104
7 1.47 0.834 2.1609
8 1.42 0.73 2.0164
9 1.37 0.655 1.8769
10 1.37 0.605 1.7424
11 1.27 0.57 1.6129
12 1.22 0.514 1.4884
13 1.17 0.474 1.3689
14 1.12 0.452 1.2544
15 1.07 0.404 1.1449
16 1.02 0.34 1.0404

In calculation tan theeta(0) or slope is taken 0.40, its calculated by picking up individual value.
Slope of the Graph 0.398
Initial speed from slope 3.5 ms-1
Time of flight 0.446 s
Initial speed using photo gate 3.361 ms-1
Percentage Difference 3.97 %

1.4
y = 0.398x - 0.070
1.2 R = 0.998

0.8
Series1

0.6 Series2
Linear (Series1)
0.4

0.2

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5

Conclusion:
In this experiment we were supposed to calculate initial speed using vertical drop
and range; and calculate the second initial speed using the gradient of graph of Y
against X and find the percentage difference which was an acceptable 1.02% for us.
We came to the conclusion that there is a straight line relation between X2 and Y.
However, the graph may not be the perfect straight line due to certain errors. The
errors were due to air friction the ball encountered during its flight
 Conservation of Momentum in Two Dimensions

Equipment Required:
Steel balls(2)
Mini launcher
Protractor
White paper
Carbon paper
Tape( to make inelastic collision)
Meter rod
Purpose
The purpose of the experiment is to see whether the momentum is conserved in both
elastic and inelastic collision or not.

Theory

The ball is shot from the launcher to another ball placed in front of it. Before
collision, the momentum is m1 v = m1 v1 + m2 v2. The two balls then disperse in
different angles after collision and their velocity is v1 and v2. The final momentum
is sum of the momentums of the two balls.
In Elastic Collision, we strike the ball from the launcher with the ball of same mass
then measure the angles 1 and 2 with the help of protractor and the distances the
two balls travelled after collision.
Then from the formula, we prove
xo = i1 cos 1 + i2 cos 2
Where , xo is the distance the ball travelled before collision.
For Energy Conservation we have the formula,
Xo2 = X12 + X22 + Y12 + Y22
Where
X1 = i1 cos 1 Y1 = i1 sin 1
X2 = i2 cos 2 Y2 = i2 sin 2
We further show that Y1 = Y2
We perform the same calculations for In-Elastic Collision but the mass of the ball
being hit by the ball in the launcher is larger while rest of the calculations remains
the same.

Procedure
First the apparatus is setup. The mini launcher was placed on the horizontal ground
and the angle was set at 0. A test shot was fired to determine the range of the ball. A
white paper was also placed just below the muzzle of the launcher. Collision
attachment was mounted in front of the muzzle and rotated at a small angle. A ball
was then placed inside the launcher and the other was placed on the collision
assessment tee. The horizontal level of the balls was kept same. White papers along
with carbon paper were placed all around the equipment to note down the exact
position of the balls after they collide and disperse. This was done in the case for
elastic collision. For inelastic collision, the whole setup was same except for the fact
that the ball on the tee was covered by a small piece of tape on one side. Shoot the
ball once for this inelastic collision because the tape does not produce the same
effect again. Mark the spots on the paper and join these lines together to the point
right below the muzzle of the launcher.
Analysis:
After joining the lines, calculate the angle between the lines for both elastic and
inelastic collision. Measure the length of the joined lines using a meterrod.
Elastic collision:

X-direction

L=L1cos1+L2cos2

40.1=12cos(67)+43.3cos(20)

40.1=45.5

Y- direction

0=L1sin1-L2sin2

0=12sin(67)-43.4sin(20)

0=-3.8

Kinetic Energy
L^2=L1^2+L2^2

(40.1)^2= (12)^2+(43.4)^2

1608.01=2027.6

1+2= 67+20

=87
Initial 40.1 Final 45.5 % difference 11.9
x-momentum x-momentum
Initial 11.04 Final 14.8 % difference 25.7
y-momentum y-momentum
ball 1 ball 2
Initial KE 1608.01 Final KE 2027.6 % difference 20.7

Inelastic collision

X-momentum

L=L1cos1+L2cos2

42.3=17.8cos(53.5)+44.7cos(24)

42.3=51.4

Y momentum

L1sin1=17.8sin(53.5)

=14.3

L2sin2=44.7sin(24)

=18.1
Kinetic Energy

L^2=L1^2+L2^2

(42.3)^2=(17.8)^2+(44.7)^2

1789.3=2314.9

1+2=24+53.5

=77.5
Initial x 42.3 Final x 51.4 % difference 17.7
momentum momentum
Initial y 14.3 Final y 18.1 % difference 20.9
momentum momentum
ball 1 ball 2
Initial KE 1789.3 Final KE 2314.9 % difference 22.7

Momentum was conserved in the x-direction for the elastic collision as the
difference between final and initial momentum was comparatively less. But
for inelastic collision, the momentum was not conserved because the
difference was more.
For the y-direction, the momentum was not conserved in the inelastic
collision but only elastic collision.
Energy was conserved in the elastic collision but not in the inelastic collision
For the elastic collision, angle was 87 which is pretty close to 90
In the inelastic collision the angle was 77.5 instead of 90
Conclusion:
We conclude from the experiment that momentum remains conserved in Elastic and
In-Elastic Collision although there may occur a certain error due to certain factors.
But in ideal case momentum is completely conserved.
Energy is also conserved before and after collision however in reality, error may
occur due to certain factors like energy released as sound, then conversion of
gravitational potential energy to kinetic energy etc.