Ball and Cart: Observation Experiment

Aim

To understand the motion of projectiles

Prior Knowledge

1. Understanding of motion with constant velocity.
2. Understanding of motion of falling objects.
3. Reference frames.

Description of the Experiment

For each of the three trials:

• Observe the motion of the ball with respect to the table. Stepping the video frame by frame, draw a motion diagram representing the motion of the ball.
• Observe the motion of the cart with respect to the table. Stepping the video frame by frame, draw a motion diagram representing the motion of the cart. Describe in words the motion of the cart relative to the table
• Observe the motion of the ball with respect to the cart. Stepping the video frame by frame, draw a motion diagram representing the motion of the ball with respect to the cart. Describe in words the motion of the ball relative to the cart
• What can you say about the motion of the ball and the cart with respect to each other in each trial?
• Devise an explanation of why the ball always lands in the cart.

	Frame rate: 15fps Size: 480 X 360 File Size: 0.10Mb
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Questions

1. Why do you think the ball always returned to the cart? Devise two explanations.
2. How can you test each explanation? Propose a testing experiment for each.