Formal Lab Report (2-D Motion Lab)

Lab as performed on 10/05/2017

In this lab, a laboratory experiment has been done to test the motion of a projectile – a foam
dart – in two dimensions: the x-direction and the y-direction. All two-dimensional motion is a combined
vector of a horizontal and vertical vector, which is why all such motion is broken into the x- and y-
directions in calculations.

The x-direction – acting as a horizontal vector – consists of motion parallel to the ground
originating from the force of the spring, which launched the dart forward. Air resistance is negligible in
this case and no other forces other than the initial force of the spring is applied while the dart is in the
air, so the acceleration of the horizontal vector is zero. The displacement in the x-direction shall be the
average of measurements with a tape ruler as the initial point where the dart is first fired until the final
point where the dart first lands.

The y-direction – acting as a vertical vector – consists of motion parallel to the ground which is
influenced only by the force of gravity, which pulls the dart closer to the ground with an acceleration of
9.8 m/s2; the fact that the dart was aimed such that the horizontal motion of the dart was parallel to the
ground equates to zero as the initial vertical velocity of the dart. The displacement in the y-direction
shall be -1 meters as is measured by the meter stick from the point where the dart is first fired to the
point where the dart lands.

The only value that both dimensions share at any two-dimensional motion is time, which shall
be acquired from applying the projectile motion equation to the y-direction (of which we already have
the initial velocity, displacement and acceleration) to then be used to find the initial horizontal velocity
of the dart fired from the gun (of which we already have the acceleration and displacement) using the
projectile motion equation.

Question (for 2nd part of lab):

Design an experiment that would allow you to find the velocity of a dart fixed out of a dart gun.

Materials:
“Nerf” gun, 6 foam darts, meter stick, tape measure, calculator

Procedure:
1. Have a person stand with the nerf gun, having the nerf gun exactly one meter above the
ground and pointing parallel to the ground, creating a ninety-degree angle with the meter
stick, ensuring all darts are loaded into the gun
2. Pull the spring on the gun and fire the dart gun once
3. Measure the distance covered by the dart using the tape measure
4. Repeat steps 1-3 until all darts have been expended, recording data after each trial (there
should be 6 darts, which totals to 6 trials)
Data:
Trials ΔX
1 5.64 m
2 5.70 m
3 5.73 m
4 5.21 m
5 5.76 m
6 5.23 m

Analysis:
∑𝛥𝑥 5.64 + 5.7 + 5.73 + 5.21 + 5.76 + 5.23
𝛥𝑥𝑥̅ = =
6 6
𝛥𝑥𝑥̅ = 𝟓. 𝟓𝟓 𝒎

X-dimension Y-dimension
ΔX=5.55 m ΔY=-1 m
A=0 m/s2 A=-9.8 m/s2
T =? T =?
V0 =? V0=0 m/s

1 1
𝒚 = a𝑡 2 + vo𝑡 ∴ −1 = (−9.8)𝑡 2 + (0)𝑡, −1 = −4.9𝑡 2 , 0.2 = 𝑡 2
2 2
𝒕 = 𝟎. 𝟒𝟓 𝒔
1 1
x = a𝑡 2 + vo 𝑡 ∴ 5.55 = (0)(0.45)2 + vo (0.45), 5.55 = vo (0.45)
2 2
vo = 𝟏𝟐. 𝟑𝟑 m/s

Conclusion:
The calculated horizontal velocity for a dart fired out of a dart gun is 12.33 m/s, which was
influenced by gravity and the force of the spring that launched the dart out. However, some of the data
may have been incorrect due to errors such as the inconsideration of air resistance, the imperfection in
trying to fire the dart as close to a ninety-degree angle as possible, the imperfection of trying to fire the
dart exactly one meter above the ground, and the slight movement of the tape ruler which may lead to
slight mismeasurements.