toy car on a table for time of flight demo

 

Code Number: 1C10.62

Demo Title:  Time of Flight

Condition: Good

Principle: Two - Dimensional Motion

Area of Study: Mechanics

Equipment: 

Masonite background, meter stick, short range spring gun, c-clamp, "sad" ball.

Procedure: 

Set up two of the short range projectile guns side by side.  One should have an angle of 8-10 degrees, while the other should have an angle of 75 degrees.  Two cars are set in front of the guns, one being farther away from the guns than the other.  After the arrangement is described to the students the question is asked, "If both guns are fired simultaneously, with the same energy, which car gets hit first?"

References:

  • Patrik Vogt, Jochen Kuhn, and Denis Neuschwander, "Determining Ball Velocities with Smartphones", TPT, Vol. 52, #6, Sept. 2014, p. 376.
  • "Editor's Note", TPT, Vol. 42, #5, May 2004, p. 261.
  • Paul G. Hewitt, "Physics Not Misfigured", TPT, Vol. 42, #5, May 2004, p. 260. 
  • Robert Weinstock, "Misfigured Physics", TPT, Vol. 42, #3, Mar. 2004, p. 132.
  • Paul Hewitt, "Figuring Physics: Projectile Speeds", TPT, Vol. 42, #1, Jan. 2004, p. 12, 45.
  • Fred Lang, "Solvable Equations", TPT, Vol. 38, #7, Oct. 2000, p. 389.
  • Michael George, "Answer C", TPT, Vol. 37, #8, Nov. 1999, p. 455.
  • John F. Goehl Jr., "Answer B", TPT, Vol. 37, #8, Nov. 1999, p. 455.
  • David Montalvo, "Author's Response", TPT, Vol. 37, #8, Nov. 1999, p. 454.
  • Brian Cahill and Thulsi Wickramasinghe, "Answer A", TPT, Vol. 37, #8, Nov. 1999, p. 454.
  • Clifford E. Swartz, "Questioning the 'Unsolvable'”, TPT, Vol. 37, #8, Nov. 1999, p. 454.
  • David Montalvo, "Solving an 'Unsolvable' Projectile-Motion Problem", TPT, Vol. 37, #4, Apr. 1999, p. 226.
  • Brian Cahill, Thulsi Wickramasinghe, David Montalvo, John F. Goehl, Jr., and Michael George, "Questioning  the
  • Earl Zwicker, "DOING Physics: Timing Projectile Motion", TPT, Vol. 26, #2, Feb. 1988, p. 124.
  • Robert D. Smith, "A Time-of-Flight Determination of the Monkey Hunter's Bullet", TPT, Vol. 13, #5, May 1975, p. 298.
  • Petre N. Henriksen, "Snowball Fighting: A Study in Projectile Motion", TPT, Vol. 13, #1, Jan. 1975, p. 43.
  • H. R. Kemp, "Trajectories of Projectiles in Air for Small Times of Flight", AJP, Vol. 55, #12, Dec. 1987, p. 1099.
  • A. Tan, C. H. Frick, and O. Castillo, "The Fly Ball Trajectory: An Older Approach Revisited", AJP, Vol. 55, #1, Jan. 1987, p. 37.
  • F. C. Peterson, "Timing the Flight of the Projectile in the Classical Ballistic Pendulum", AJP, Vol. 51 #7, July 1983, p. 602.
  • Glen E. Everett and R. L. Wild, "Inexpensive Time-of-Flight Velocity Measurements", AJP, Vol. 47, #5, May 1979, p. 426. 
  • M-162: "Baseball Timer", DICK and RAE Physics Demo Notebook.

 

1C10.62 - Time of Flight