Projectile Motion
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Topics
- Kinematics
- Air Resistance
- Parabolic Curve
- Projectile Motion
Description
Blast a car out of a cannon, and challenge yourself to hit a target! Learn about projectile motion by firing various objects. Set parameters such as angle, initial speed, and mass. Explore vector representations, and add air resistance to investigate the factors that influence drag.
Sample Learning Goals
- Determine how each parameter (initial height, initial angle, initial speed, mass, diameter, and altitude) affects the trajectory of an object, with and without air resistance.
- Predict how varying the initial conditions will affect a projectile’s path, and provide an explanation for the prediction.
- Estimate where an object will land, given its initial conditions.
- Determine that the x and y motion of a projectile are independent.
- Investigate the variables that affect the drag force.
- Describe the the effect that the drag force has on the velocity and acceleration.
- Discuss projectile motion using common vocabulary (such as: launch angle, initial speed, initial height, range, time).
Keywords
Teacher Tips
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Overview of sim controls, model simplifications, and insights into student thinking ( PDF ). |
Teacher-Submitted Activities
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Authors | Level | Type | Subject |
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Concept questions for Physics using PhET (Inquiry Based) |
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Trish Loeblein | UG-Intro HS |
MC | Physics |
Algebra-based Physics Semester one lessons, clicker questions, and schedule in pdf (Inquiry Based) |
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Trish Loeblein | HS UG-Intro |
Lab Demo HW |
Physics |
A Projectile Motion-Introduction (Inquiry Based) |
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Trish Loeblein | HS UG-Intro |
Lab | Physics |
Kinematic Equation Activity |
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Shea Phillips | HS | Guided | Physics | |
Quadratic Projectiles |
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beki toussaint | HS | Lab | Mathematics | |
Experimental Design: Projectile Motion! |
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Jamie Schoenberger | MS | Lab Guided |
Other Earth Science |
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Air Resistance Lesson |
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UTeach Middle School PhET Team | MS | Lab | Physics | |
Projectile investigation for Middle School |
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Jefferson County Middle School Workshop | MS | Lab | Mathematics Physics Earth Science |
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Math in Motion |
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Sam Jones | HS | Lab | ||
Math in Motion - Tasks |
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Sam Jones | HS | Lab | Mathematics | |
Testing Predictions for Projectile Motion |
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Scott McCurdy | HS MS |
Lab Demo |
Physics | |
Alignment of PhET sims with NGSS |
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Trish Loeblein | HS | Other | Chemistry Physics Biology Earth Science |
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How do PhET simulations fit in my middle school program? |
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Sarah Borenstein | MS | Other | Physics Earth Science Chemistry Biology |
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MS and HS TEK to Sim Alignment | Elyse Zimmer | MS HS |
Other | Physics Biology Chemistry |
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PhET Simulations Aligned for AP Physics C | Roberta Tanner | HS | Other | Physics | ||
Projectile Motion - developing understanding. | Dan Hanson | HS UG-Intro |
Guided HW |
Physics | ||
Projectile Motion Discovery | Sean Boston | MS UG-Intro HS K-5 |
HW Lab Demo Discuss Guided |
Physics | ||
3 Projectile Motion Factors | Mary Teren | HS | Lab Guided |
Physics | ||
Projectile Motion | Craig Reuter | HS | Lab | Physics | ||
Projectile Motion | Bernadette Kozak | HS | Lab | Physics | ||
Applications of Parametric Equations | Andrzej Sokolowski | HS UG-Intro |
HW | Mathematics | ||
Projectile Motion Lab | Amy Jordan | HS | Lab | Physics | ||
Tavurvur Volcano Erupts! | Dean Baird | HS | HW | Physics | ||
Kinematics | Wang Yunhe | HS | Lab | Physics | ||
Projectile Investigation | Teresa Gill | MS | Lab | |||
AP Physics PhET Projectile Motion Lab | Nick Borowicz | UG-Intro | Lab | |||
Projectile Motion-Using kinematic equations | Elisabeth Pope | HS | Lab | Physics | ||
LEARNING AND SIMULATING PROJECTILE MOTION | Yuriy Pinelis | UG-Intro | HW | Physics | ||
Projectile Motion | Patrick Foley | HS | Lab | Physics | ||
Projectile Motion - Fired at an Angle | David Carroll | UG-Intro HS |
Lab HW |
Physics | ||
Projectile Motion Homework | Danny Rehn | UG-Adv | HW | |||
Linear and Quadratic Functions: analysis using graphing | unkown unknown | HS | HW | Mathematics | ||
Projectile Motion | Sarah Stanhope | HS UG-Intro |
Lab | |||
Understanding Projectile Motion | Nathan Balasubramanian | HS | Lab | Physics | ||
Projectile Motion Simulator Worksheet | Shannon Wallace | HS | CQs | |||
Determination of angle of projection for maximum range | Vincent Kizza | HS | Lab | Physics | ||
Projectile Motion: Gravity & Air Resistance | Steve Reeves | HS | Lab | Physics | ||
Projectile Motion Lab #2 | Chris Cochran | MS | Lab | Physics Mathematics |
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Projectile Motion Lab Exploration | Jason Rott | HS | Lab | Physics | ||
Projectile Motion Investigation | Robert Kennedy | HS | Lab | Physics | ||
Projectiles Air Resistance - It's a Drag | David Moutoux | HS | Lab | |||
Quantitative Predictions of Projectile Motion | Scott McCurdy | UG-Intro HS |
HW Demo Lab |
Physics | ||
Projectile launch angle vs displacement | Mick O'Byrne | HS | HW Lab |
Physics Mathematics |
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Projectile Motion Phet Simulation Activity | Drew Isola | HS | Lab CQs |
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Projectile Motion and Air Resistance | Adrian Carmichael | HS | Lab | |||
Investigating Projectile Motion | John Scruggs | HS | Lab | |||
Projectile Simuation | Brad Boyle | HS | Lab | Physics | ||
Exploring Projectile Motion | Cheri Wright | HS | Lab | Physics | ||
Projectile Motion Formal Lab Development and Report | Michael Poynter | HS | Lab | Physics | ||
Projectile Motion: The Basic Flight Path | Steve Reeves | HS | Lab | Physics | ||
Projectile Motion Exploration | curt miller | HS | Lab | Physics | ||
Projectile Motion Investigation | Jessica Mullins | HS | Lab | Physics | ||
SBL-Projectile Motion | Yuli Estrian | HS MS |
Guided | Physics | ||
Lançamento Oblíquo | Emilene Eichelberger | HS | Guided | Physics | ||
Movimento de projéteis | y' e y" | HS | Other | Physics | ||
Practica Tiro Parabolico (traduccion) | Gerardo Sarmiento | MS HS |
Guided Lab |
Physics |
Windows | Macintosh | Linux |
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Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/7/8.1/10 Macromedia Flash 9 or later
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OS X 10.9.5 or later Macromedia Flash 9 or later
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Macromedia Flash 9 or later
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Design Team | Third-party Libraries | Thanks To |
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