8th Grade Physical Science
Unit One: Rubber Band Trajectory Project
Rubber Band Trajectory Project Overview
Testable Question:
* How does the angle affect the distance a rubber band will
travel?
Objective:
- To determine the optimal angle at which the rubber band will travel the farthest.
- To design and conduct an experiment using the scientific method which we learned in the 1st Unit: Experimentation
- Learn how to develop a project proposal.
- Use Technology to enhance the project.
- Create a display (poster board) and a project notebook to share results from the experiment
Project Sequence:
- Develop a Project Proposal
- Collaboratively Build a Launcher to accurately test your launch angles.
- Group Collaboration
- Create Group Hypothesis
- Testing (Doing the experiment)
- Write Procedures
- Create Project Notebook
- Create data tables and graph using MS excel
- Finish Project Notebook
- Data Analysis
- Conclusion
- Create Poster board display using PowerPoint
Materials:
* Rubber band
* Protractor
* Rubber band launcher (Your own Design)
* Tape measure
Experiment/ Testing
Safety First!
- Be sure to NEVER launch a rubber band in the direction of another student.
- When experimenting, wear goggles to protect your eyes.
- Launch rubber bands ONLY when conducting your experiment.
- Using the rubber band launcher and ,
- each group will be launching rubber bands at 6 different angles
- for 10 trials at each angle.
- Each group will use a tape measure to measure
- the distance.
- After testing, each group will create a data
- table and a graph of the results
Background Research
What trajectory angle is the best for shooting the longest distance?
So what is the angle that makes an object fly the furthest? Let’s look at what it takes to make an object fly through the air. There are 3 things that affect a projectile. In this project, the projectile will be the rubber band
Initial upward Force
Initial Forward Force
Gravity (Downwards Force)
Let’s look at 3 scenarios and see what happens to the projectile.
Scenario #1 - Shooting at a High angle
Shooting at a high angle will not make the object fly the furthest. The problem with shooting the projectile too high is that when the projectile is initially shot, there is not enough Forward force and too much Upward force. As the project moves through the air, there is only one force affecting the projectile, which is gravity (downward force). Because there wasn’t enough initial forward force, the projectile comes down at a short distance.
Scenario 1=Too much and not enough!
Scenario #2 - Shooting at a low angle:
Shooting at a low angle will not make the object fly the furthest. The problem with shooting a projectile too low is that when the projectile is initially shot, there is too much Forward force this time and not enough Upward force. The little Upward force is easily negated because of gravity (downward force) pulls the projectile down to the
Scenario 2=Too much and not enough
Scenario #3 - Shooting at a 45 degree angle (right in the middle)
When shooting at 45 degrees, which is halfway in between 0 and 90 degrees, the projectile will fly the furthest. The reason for this is because there is an equal amount of Upward and Forward force. Although gravity (downward force) pulls down on the projectile, the equal amounts of Forward and Upward force creates the optimal distance traveled.
Equal Amount=optimal distance
Name___________________________ Period:_______
Rubber Band Trajectory Project PROPOSAL
Your Testable Question How does the launch angle affect the distance a rubber band will travel? | |
Your Hypothesis The launch angle affects the distance because the higher the angle, the higher, but the lower the angle, the farther. However, if you go too high, it will just shoot straight up, and if u go too low, gravity will pull it down too quickly, so you need a mixture of the two. | |
Independent Variable (What you are purposely changing?) The independent variable is the angle that we will be launching the rubber band at. | Dependent Variable (The change that you measure) The dependent variable is how far the rubber band will go. |
Controlled Variables (What stays the same during the experiment?) The rubber band The launcher Amount of wind Launch strength | |
Explain how you are going to test your question. How are you going to obtain quantitative data (what tool/instrument will you use to make measurements)? Summarize your procedures. Attach another piece of paper if necessary. 1. Make a launcher out of wood, screws, and a clothes pin, and we will be a hot glue gun 2. Put the rubber band in the clothes pin, and put the other end on a screw, at the correct angle, and open the clothes pin. 3. Each screw has to be the same distance from the clothes pin 4. Use same rubber bands 5. Use the same tape measure 6. Be in the same environment for each test 7. Ten trials for each angle
How we will make our launcher. 1. We will make a 12 x 5 inch bar of wood, and a 12 x 12 x 2 inch square 2. We will saw the square so it has a rounded edge from the bottom left corner to the top right corner 3. We will then put a bent screw with a notch in each of the different angle spots 4. We will put a round screw in the bottom right hand corner, and that's where we will be putting our clothespin
| |
Use a drawing to show how you will test your question (draw your experiment). | |
How many trials will you need to perform your experiment? (How many times will you repeat your experiment to get an accurate “best value or Average”?) We will test it 10 times for each angle to get an accurate average (a total of 50 trials) | |
Is your experiment a fair test? Explain. Yes it is, because we will be testing it ten times for each angle, giving each angle to have a chance to get a fair result. We will also be making the angle screws each the same length away from the clothes pin, so they will be launched at the same amount of power. | |
Teacher Only: Approval: Project Approved! Please revise and resubmit. Please choose another idea Begin background No credit yet. and write another proposal. Research paper. No credit yet. Teacher Circled Comments: Other Comments: Amazing project idea! I can’t wait to see how it turns out. Your project has great potential. See me to make it great! Your project has more than one independent variable. Your project is collecting qualitative data (not quantitative). Your project needs to be more advanced (middle school level). This project could be dangerous, have a parent help you. Concept: This project violates one or more science fair rules. |
| Distance rubber band traveled (cm) |
| |||
Angle at which Rubber Band was launched (degrees) | 15 degrees | 30 degrees | 45 degrees | 60 degrees | 75 degrees |
Trial 1 | 759 | 464 | 398 | 275 | 205 |
Trial 2 | 336 | 441 | 379 | 384 | 269 |
Trial 3 | 377 | 452 | 359 | 209 | 240 |
Trial 4 | 291 | 529 | 370 | 131 | 205 |
Trial 5 | 511 | 461 | 375 | 303 | 279 |
Trial 6 | 453 | 444 | 359 | 330 | 310 |
Trial 7 | 414 | 431 | 301 | 387 | 210 |
Trial 8 | 366 | 478 | 231 | 440 | 298 |
Trial 9 | 469 | 424 | 381 | 476 | 250 |
Trial 10 | 403 | 398 | 429 | 313 | 155 |
Average | 352.25 | 399.3 | 372.3 | 346.3 | 242.1 |
Project Title
Stephen Randall, Paul Zerbe, Sarah Neill, Jennifer Miranda, 8th Grade
Correia Middle School
Ms. Dietsch, Room
January 26, 2007
Table of Contents
Experiment Details | ……………………………….. | -- 3 -- |
Materials and Procedures | ……………………………….. | -- 4 -- |
Experiment Results | ……………………………….. | -- -- |
Data Analysis & Discussion | ……………………………….. | -- -- |
Conclusion | ……………………………….. | -- -- |
Experiment Notes | ……………………………….. | -- -- |
Experiment Details
Testable Question
What is the effect on the distance of the rubber band when the angles change?
Experiment Hypothesis
The effect of the distance of the rubber band when the angles change is if the angle is bigger, the higher it will go, but the lower, gravity will pull it down too quickly, so you will need something in between. The rubber band flying from the 45 degree angle will go the farthest.
Experiment Variables
Independent Variable | The independent variable is the angle, because that is the only thing that we will be changing (15,30,45,60,75) |
Dependent Variable | The dependent variable is how far the rubber band goes, be |
Controlled Variables | Same sized Rubber band New, same sized rubber band for each new trial Same launcher Same measuring tape Same amount of wind, in the same place |
Materials and Procedures
Materials Used
- One square of wood that is 12 inches by 12 inches by 2 inches
- One bar of wood that is 12 inches by 5 inches
- One standard clothes pin
- 6 headless nails
- A hammer
- Masking tape to mark where we will be launching
- A tape measure
Procedures
Building the launcher...
1. We will make a launcher from a 12 x 12 x 2 inch piece of wood
2. We will screw it on a 12 x 5 piece of wood for stability
3. We will write in the angles and mark them on the wood, and nail a headless nail slanted into the wood
Testing the launcher...
1. Place a piece of masking tape on the floor for our starting point
2. Place the launcher by the tape so the clothes pin is by the tape
3. Attach rubber band on nail, put it in clothes pin
4. Gently open the clothespin, without accidentally moving the launcher
5. Record where rubber band lands
6. Repeat ten times for each angle
7. If there is an outlier, redo the angle
8. Repeat steps 1-7 for each angle
Experiment Results
Data Analysis and Discussion
While looking at the tables and graphs, I can see that 30 has the highest average of 399 centimeters, and 75 has the lowest average of 242 centimeters. 45 degrees, which was supposed to be the farthest, was the second farthest, with an average 372 centimeters. 15 degrees had an average of 252 centimeters, and 60 degrees had an average of 346 centimeters. When looking at the graph, it does not have a linear relationship, and as x increases, y goes up and then down.The angle that caused the rubber band to travel the farthest was the 30 degree angle. this is because 30 degrees is going out and up a little bit to give it some good forces going forward, and good upward forces, so it gets distance.The angle that caused the rubber band to travel the least farthest was the 75 degree angle. This is because 75 degrees goes upwards, so if you shoot something from 75 degrees it will just go up, and barley anywhere forward.
According to the simulators, the 45 degree angle is supposed to make the rubber band travel the farthest. The rubber band didn't travel this far, because I opened the clothespin at different speeds, and since the rubber bands were sitting out in the sun for so long, it effected their elasticity. Also, the wind changed which effected the tests.
My hypothesis was pretty much correct, that if you have an angle too low, gravity will pull it down too quickly, and if you have an angle too high, it will just go up. However, I was also wrong because the forty five degree angle didn't go the farthest- the thirty degree angle did. In actuality, the rubber band launched at the forty five degree angle is supposed to shoot the farthest. However, in our test, due to wind difficulties and human error, our thirty degree angle caused the rubber band to go farthest.
Conclusion
According to the graphs, and tables, our 15 degree angle had an average of 352.25 centimeters, our 30 degree angle had an average of 399.3 centimeters, and our 45 degree angle had an average of 372.3 centimeters. Our 60 degree angle had an average of around 346 centimeters, and our 75 degree angle had an average of around 241 centimeters. The background research states that the 45 degree angle should have the highest average. However, our 30 degree angle had the highest average of 399.3 centimeters. This is because a human cant open and close something with the same force in perfect sequence, and the wind changed throughout our tests. Also, since the rubber bands were out in the sun for a while, the heat probably effected their elasticity. Thus, our hypothesis that the 45 degree angle should have the highest average was wrong, but we were right that the angle does have an effect on how far the rubber band goes, and that you need something in the middle.
Project Notebook (includes):
* Title Page with a picture of the rubber band launcher
* Table of Contents
* Experiment Details
* Materials and Procedures (Use pictures in these sections)
* Experiment Results (Graphs and Data Tables)
* Data Analysis
* Conclusion
* Experiment Notes (Proposal, Pictures of you doing the experiment)
Grading:
* Notebook = 160 points
Rubber Band Trajectory Notebook Rubric
- Instructions on how to write each one of these sections are in the Notebook Template. Please follow the guidelines:
Title Page | Missing 0 points | Follows LITTLE of the guidelines in the notebook template 10 points | Follows SOME of the guidelines in the notebook template 15 points | Follows ALL of the guidelines in notebook template 20 points |
Experiment Details | Missing 0 points | Follows LITTLE of the guidelines in the notebook template 10 points | Follows SOME of the guidelines in the notebook template 15 points | Follows ALL of the guidelines in notebook template 20 points |
Materials and Procedures | Missing 0 points | Follows LITTLE of the guidelines in the notebook template 10 points | Follows SOME of the guidelines in the notebook template 15 points | Follows ALL of the guidelines in notebook template 20 points |
Experiment Results | Missing 0 points | Follows LITTLE of the guidelines in the notebook template 10 points | Follows SOME of the guidelines in the notebook template 15 points | Follows ALL of the guidelines in notebook template 20 points |
Data Analysis/ Discussion | Missing 0 points | Follows LITTLE of the guidelines in the notebook template 20 points | Follows SOME of the guidelines in the notebook template 30 points | Follows ALL of the guidelines in notebook template 40 points |
Conclusion | Missing 0 points | Follows LITTLE of the guidelines in the notebook template 10 points | Follows SOME of the guidelines in the notebook template 15 points | Follows ALL of the guidelines in notebook template 20 points |
Experiment Notes | Missing 0 points | Follows LITTLE of the guidelines in the notebook template 10 points | Follows SOME of the guidelines in the notebook template 15 points | Follows ALL of the guidelines in notebook template 20 points |
Overall Score ________/160 points
Rubber Band Project Task Check List……….
This sheet is to help you make sure you are staying on task and completing all parts of the project. Check each task off as you finish them.
- Review Rubber Band 2008 Packet (1st day)
- Cornell Vocabulary notes and Background Research notes (1st day)
- Brainstorm on how to make Launcher (1 day)
- Project Proposal (1 day)
- Build Launcher (3 days)
- Test and collect data (2 days)
- Graph Data ( ½ a day)
- Project Notebook (2.5 days)
- Digital Poster Display (2 days)
CONGRATULATIONS YOU FINISHED :o)