🎯 Adventure 12 — Projectile Motion: The Vertical Secret

Questions on the left. Charts on the right. Use Check Answers when you are ready.

Part 1 – A Ball Thrown Straight Up

1) At what time does the ball reach its greatest height?

2) What is the maximum height?

3) What is the velocity at t = 0 seconds?

4) What is the velocity at t = 6 seconds?

5) At what time is the velocity equal to zero?

6) At that moment (v = 0), what is the ball doing?

7) Complete the sentence: “At maximum height, the velocity is ____.”

Part 2 – Acceleration Clue

8) What is the acceleration (constant) during the whole flight?

9) Is acceleration ever zero during the flight? (yes/no)

Part 3 – Cannon Ball (Vertical Motion)

10) What is the cannonball’s initial vertical velocity?

11) What is the maximum height reached?

12) When does it stop rising (vertical v = 0)?

13) Compared to the straight-up throw, the cannonball’s vertical motion is…

Part 4 – Range (Horizontal Motion)

14) What is the total time in the air?

15) Suppose the cannon ball moves horizontally at a constant speed of:

(your choice)

16) How far will it travel horizontally (range)?

horizonatl velocity x time 14x15

The Big Idea

17) At maximum height, the vertical velocity is:

18) At maximum height, the acceleration is:

Reflection

19) The time to reach the maximum depends on the ___ motion.

20) The range depends on the ___ motion.

21) In this example, the vertical launch speed is:

22) For maximum range at fixed velocity (no air resistance), the best launch angle is:_____

(To make the cannonball go the farthest you want to use the maximum horizontal velocity and also get maximum height!) (smaller angle = more horizontal velocity and larger angle = more height!)

Chart 2: Cannon ball vertical motion (DiVA)