1. Projectile Motion with air drag
A Computer Lab for Calculus Based Physics
Dr. Richard Taylor
Department of Physics & Engineering
Muskingum University

2. Overview Developing an Algorithm Implementing the Algorithm
Kinematics
Dynamics
Algorithm
Implementing the Algorithm
MATLAB
Excel
Calibrating the Program
Digitizing Real Data
Applying the Program
Determine the Initial Velocity
Turn Air Drag Off for Comparison

3. Developing an Algorithm: Kinematics
Air drag is a variable force.
Therefore, acceleration is not constant!
But…
If the time interval is small, then
acceleration can be treated as a constant.

4. Developing an Algorithm: Dynamics

5. Developing an Algorithm: Algorithm
Constants & Initial Values

6. Implementing the Algorithm: MATLAB

7. Implementing the Algorithm: Excel

8. Calibrating the Program
Find the range for the no air drag problem by hand.
Find the range using the program.
Reduce the time interval in the program until the ranges agree.

9. Digitizing Real Data

10. Applying the Program: Determine the Launch Speed
Adjust the launch speed in the program until the two curves overlap.

11. Applying the Program: Turn Air Drag Off for Comparison

12. Materials can be downloaded from www.muskingum.edu/~richardt/aapt2013