Rubber Band Trajectory Project Packet
Please type in a different color than the original text.
This packet includes:
- Background Research Notes
- Project Proposal
- Project Notebook
- Experiment Details
- Materials and Procedures
- Experiment Results
- Experiment Pictures
- Data Analysis and Discussion
- Conclusion
- Challenges and Technical Difficulties
- Recommendations
- Work Cited
Background Research Notes
Go to www.mrozeni.com then hover over “Projects” then click on “Rubber Band Trajectory Project” scroll down and stop at “research links
Essential Vocabulary, copy the online definitions for the following:
Trajectory –
Projectile –
Distance –
Motion –
Gravity -
First Website – The Physics Classroom: What is a Projectile?
- Explain and Draw or insert picture of what you learned at this site:
Second Website – Trajectory angle and Distance
- Insert all 3 pictures
- For each picture be able to explain if the object will travel the furthest. Then explain why the object is going to travel the furthest or won’t travel the furthest.
Third Website – Projectile Motion Java Applet
- Don’t change the velocity and mass, only change the angle
- Change the angle at an increment of 5 degrees, starting at 5 and ending at 90 degrees.
- Fire the projectile and then write in the distance the ball traveled in the data table.
Angle | Distance | Angle | Distance |
5 |
| 50 |
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10 |
| 55 |
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15 |
| 60 |
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20 |
| 65 |
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25 |
| 70 |
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30 |
| 75 |
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35 |
| 80 |
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40 |
| 85 |
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45 |
| 90 |
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- At which angle did the ball travel the furthest?
- You should also observe something interesting about your results. What is it and Why does it happen like that?
Fourth Website – Canon Simulator
- The Purpose of this website is for you to figure out what else affects what happens to the distance a projectile travels besides the angle. That way you can understand what you need to keep controlled in your experiment.
- Only change one concept at a time so you only have one independent variable.
- Fill in the data table as you launch the cannons to see if each concept affects the cannon's distance.
Concept being changed | Does this concept affect the distance the cannon ball traveled? | If yes, how does this concept affect how far the cannonball will travel? |
Velocity |
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Gravity |
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Windage |
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Density |
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Fifth Website - Pictures of Rubber Band Launchers
- Choose 3 different launchers that you think your group may want to build. Insert those pictures into the table
- In the next column, write down what materials you would need to build each one of those launchers
Picture of the Launcher | Materials Needed to build this launcher |
Launcher 1 |
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Launcher 2 |
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Launcher 3 |
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Insert more if needed |
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Project PROPOSAL
Your Testable Question:
At Which launch angle (15, 30, 45, 60, or 75 degrees) does the rubber band travel the furthest? |
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Group's Hypothesis: |
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Independent Variable (What you are purposely changing?):
| Dependent Variable (The change that you measure): |
Controlled Variables (What stays the same the entire experiment?): |
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Will you need to build anything for this experiment? - If yes, what will you need to build?
- Find a picture of what it will look like or explain what it would look like
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How are you going to obtain quantitative data (what tool/instrument will you use to make measurements)? Insert a picture of that tool.
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Summarize your procedures. This does not have to be a detailed procedures but Ms. D needs to be able to understand what you are doing in your project. |
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Project Notebook
Experiment Details
Experiment Question:
Write your experiment question here.
Experiment Hypothesis:
Write your hypothesis here.
Experiment Variables
Independent Variable
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What is the variable that you purposely changed in your experiment? For example, the length of the pendulum.
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Dependent Variable
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How did you measure the response of the manipulated variable? For example, the time it takes for the pendulum to make 10 back-n-forth swings.
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Controlled Variables
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List all of the variables you kept the same in the experiment. For example, the type of string, washers, angle of pendulum drop, 10 swings, used a digital clock to measure time. TIP: BUILD OR FIND A MACHINE TO ELIMINATE HUMAN VARIABLES
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Materials and Procedures
Materials Used
Provide a list of all the materials you used in your experiment.
Example:
- One Large Circular Ceramic Magnet (5cm diameter, 1.5 cm height)
- One Medium Circular Ceramic Magnet (3cm diameter, 1.5 cm height)
- One Small Circular Ceramic Magnet (1.5cm diameter, 1.5 cm height)
- Ten Standard Sized Paper Clips
- Metric Ruler
- Non-magnetic Table Surface
Procedures
Provide detailed procedures for conducting your experiment. It is important that these are specific and well detailed. You should include drawings, diagrams, and/or photos to help show how you conducted your experiment.
Procedures for the object you are building:
Steps | Written Procedure | Drawing/Picture |
Step 1 |
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Step 2 |
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Step 3 |
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Step 4 |
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Insert more rows if needed |
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Procedures for Testing your experiment:
Steps | Written Procedure | Drawing/Picture |
Step 1 |
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Step 2 |
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Step 3 |
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Step 4 |
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Insert more rows if needed |
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Experiment Results
In this section you will be creating:
- Data Tables and graphs displaying your results include:
- Raw Data Table (see below)
- An Average Graph (it should be a column graph)
- Make sure everything has a title. The last thing you want to do is make great graphs and data tables, and not have a title explaining what the graphs represent.
Raw Data Table:
Distance Rubber Band Traveled (cm) |
Angles Launched | 15 degrees | 30 degrees | 45 degrees | 60 degrees | 75 degrees |
Trial 1 |
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Trial 2 |
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Trial 3 |
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Trial 4 |
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Trial 5 |
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Trial 6 |
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Trial 7 |
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Trial 8 |
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Trail 9 |
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Trial 10 |
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Average |
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Uncertainty |
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Experiment Pictures
- Insert all pictures of your experiment here. Here are some pictures that you MUST include:
- Pictures of anything that you have built (multiple pictures with different angles such as top view, side view, back view, and front view)
- Picture of your group launching the rubber band (should be about 4 pictures)
- Make sure to have captions that go along with each picture
Pictures of your Rubber Band Launcher:
Caption | Picture |
Top View |
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Side View |
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Back View |
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Front View |
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Pictures of your Group Launching the rubberband:
Data Analysis and Discussion
This is where you will discuss what happened and WHY this happened. This is probably the most crucial part of any experiment. It tells if you TRULY understand your experiment.
Paragraph 1:
- Look at the data table and graphs. Write a brief summary (around 3 sentences) of what happened. Give evidence.
- Which angle did the rubber band travel the farthest? Using the research websites, explain WHY the rubber band traveled the farthest. (You should use the words trajectory, force, and gravity)
- Which angle(s) did the rubber band travel the least distance? Using the research websites, explain WHY the rubber band traveled the least distance at that angle. (You should use the words trajectory, force, and gravity)
- What is so significant about your results? Why is it so important for us to know what angle a rubber band travels the furthest? Relate how this experiment connects with the real world.
Paragraph 2:
- According to the simulators and websites, what angle was the rubber band supposed to have traveled the furthest?
- Compare the results in your experiment with the simulator. Did the projectile (rubber band) travel the furthest at the same angle in both situations? Why?
- Besides launch angle, what are some other factors that can change the distance a projectile can travel?
Paragraph 3:
- Was your hypothesis correct? Why or why not?
Please make sure to delete what is in red and type in your response.
Conclusion
1 Concise Paragraph
Based on your data and analysis written above, answer your testable question. Be sure to include ALL evidence (data) in your conclusion!
Challenges and Technical Difficulties:
1-2 Paragraphs
Every experiment experiences technical challenges. What challenges did you have while conducting your experiments? Was it difficult to obtain accurate measurements? Were you able to get the same result during each trial? Did you have to change or modify different parts of your experiment? What other problems did you solve and how did you solve all the challenges?
Please make sure to delete what is in red and type in your response.
Recommendations
1-2 Paragraphs
Based on your conclusions, what do you recommend to future researchers in your field of study? What recommendations do you have for another student who also does an experiment just like this?
Please make sure to delete what is in red and type in your response.
Work Cited:
- Insert the 4 Links that you used to finish the Background Research Notes and any other websites you have used to do this experiment.