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Projectile Motion

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Projectile Motion

Explore how a ball moves when it is pushed or thrown. Think about how a push and gravity change its motion.

Notice the motion

Imagine a ball released from rest at the top of a ramp. It rolls down the ramp and then across a flat floor. Use this description to answer Questions 1–3.

1.What makes the ball start moving down the ramp?

A push or release lets it move, and gravity pulls it down the slope.
The ball decides to move by itself.
A sound from the ramp pushes it along.

2.True or false: The ball is moving faster at the bottom of the ramp than when it is at the top.

TrueFalse

3.When the ball rolls across the flat floor, what could make it slow down and stop?

Up, over and down

Imagine a ball thrown at an angle above the ground. It travels up and forward, reaches its highest point, and then comes down. Use this description to answer Questions 4–6. A ball moving through the air is called a projectile.

4.What force pulls the ball back towards the ground after it is thrown up?

5.At the highest point of its angled path, is the ball still moving horizontally? Choose the best answer.

Yes, it is moving horizontally as it changes from going up to coming down.
No, it stays still in the air for a long time.
No, it has disappeared.

6.Complete the sentence: A throw gives the ball a that starts it moving.

Motion detectives

Think about how far a ball can travel and how to make a fair test.

7.Put the distances in order from shortest to longest. A ball rolls 40 cm, 10 cm or 25 cm.

8.Lachlan wants to find out whether a steep ramp or a gentle ramp makes a ball roll farther. What should she keep the same to make it a fair test? Give one thing.

9.Draw a simple path for a ball that is thrown up and then falls down. Add an arrow to show which way gravity pulls.