Mr. Jamie Bridgman's Physics Class used the Science Department's STEM cart to build catapults in groups. Each group then used their self-designed device to "launch" the 3D printed plastic balls. The purpose of this experiment is to predict and verify the range and the time-of-flight of a projectile launched at an angle. In order to predict the range of the projectile (ball) when it is shot off a table at an angle above the horizontal, it is necessary to first determine the initial velocity of the ball.

The initial velocity of the ball is determined by shooting it, at the appropriate angle, measuring the time the ball is in the air and the distance the ball travels.  These two data points are then used to determine the initial x and y velocity of the ball. The initial velocity of the ball can then be calculated. Lastly, the initial velocity can be used to calculate where the ball will land when it is shot at some other angle θ. Students are finishing up their experiment today with their final conclusion of data collection.