Challenge Team Interim Report

Team Number: 011 School Name: Clovis High School Area of Science: Physics Project Title:Project Motion of an Object Leaving a Turntable

The basis of our project is to predict the projectile motion of an object of given mass and composition placed upon a rotating cylindrical turntable with a given coefficient of friction between said object and said turntable. Centripetal acceleration and the tangential velocity of the turntable affecting the point from which the object leaves the table and its initial velocity as it leaves the turntable will affect the object. First the object will be dropped onto a moving table. The table will maintain a constant speed throughout the operation, making the object move in an easily predictable outward spiral. The equations used will be, Work-in Work-out, as well as F=MA and the first three equations, assuming constant acceleration. Also we will probably need to use the equation for conservation of momentum to find exactly what the turntables tangential and angular velocities will be once said object is dropped onto the turntable from a specified distance. We will plot out the object's course to the outside of the circle, and then use projectile motion equations to find out how far away from the rotating turntable the object will fall, neglecting air resistance. In our second type of trials, the object will be placed at a starting radius from the center of the turntable, which will then start accelerating at a constant rate. Again, the course will be plotted for the object on the turntable. The object will fall again as well, and it's course will be plotted in the X and Y directions.

Team Members

Team Mail

• Donald Richter
• Ethan Brister
• Eric Archer

Sponsoring Teachers

• Janelle Zamie
• Carl Armstrong

Project Advisor(s)