One Dimensional Projectile Motion Activity #5Imagine throwing the ball straight up and letting it come back down as in experiment #3

while underneath the motion detector as in the diagram below.

Ground

1D Projectile Motion

One Dimensional Projectile Motion Activity #5Imagine throwing the ball straight up and letting it come back down as in experiment #3

while underneath the motion detector as in the diagram below.

Ground

v

t

a

t

x

t

One Dimensional Projectile Motion Activity #5

Ground

y

One Dimensional Projectile Motion Activity #5

On the way up•The dots get closer together and the velocity arrows get shorter while the acceleration arrows point in the opposite direction to the motion since the ball slows down.

At the top •The ball is instantaneously at rest but is still accelerating since the force of gravity is still the net force and if it wasn’t accelerating it would stick at the highest point!

On the way down•The dots get further apart and the velocity arrows get longer while the acceleration points in the same direction as the motion since the ball speeds up.

y

One Dimensional Projectile Motion Activity #5

Also, notice the symmetry. Since the acceleration is constant, the ball speeds up just as quickly as it slows down.•The corresponding position dots are at the same height.•The velocity arrows at corresponding positions are the same length!

y