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Science lesson plan · 12th grade (Year 13 in England) · 45 minutes

Horizontal projectiles: time of flight and range

Forces and motion

CCSS NGSS.HS-PS2-1England: A level Physics: Projectile motion (extension)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Horizontal projectiles: time of flight and range.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Uniform acceleration: v² − u² = 2 a s

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Force meters, Toy cars and ramps, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Uniform acceleration: v² − u² = 2 a s). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. An object starts at 5 m/s and accelerates uniformly at 2 m/s² over 25 m. What is its final velocity, in m/s? (Give 1 decimal place.) → 11.2 m/sPrompt: Use v² − u² = 2 a s.
  2. A car travelling at 25 m/s brakes with a deceleration of 10 m/s². What is its braking distance, in m? (Give 1 decimal place.) → 31.3 mPrompt: Final velocity v = 0.
  3. A train speeds up from 0 m/s to 20 m/s over 125 m. What is its acceleration, in m/s²? (Give 2 decimal places.) → 1.6 m/s²Prompt: a = (v² − u²) ÷ (2 s)

Hook · 5 min

  • Drop a sheet of paper and a scrunched-up sheet together and ask why one falls faster.
  • Share the objective: Horizontal projectiles: time of flight and range. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: A ball is kicked horizontally off a cliff 45 m high. Ignoring air resistance, how long does it take to reach the beach below, in s? (g = 9.8 m/s²; give 2 decimal places)
  • Step 1: t = √(2 × 45 ÷ 9.8) = 3.03
  • Step 2: So the answer is: 3.03 s
  • Answer: 3.03 s
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. A ball rolls horizontally off a table 2 m high. Ignoring air resistance, how long does it take to hit the floor, in s? (g = 9.8 m/s²; give 2 decimal places) → 0.64 sPrompt: Vertical motion starts from zero vertical velocity.
  2. A stone is thrown horizontally at 8 m/s from a cliff 19.6 m high. How far from the base of the cliff does it land, in m? (g = 9.8 m/s²; ignore air resistance) → 16 mPrompt: Find the time of flight from the vertical motion.

You do: independent practice · 10 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. A stone is thrown horizontally at 8 m/s from a cliff 44.1 m high. How far from the base of the cliff does it land, in m? (g = 9.8 m/s²; ignore air resistance) → 24 mPrompt: Find the time of flight from the vertical motion.
  2. What shape is the path of a horizontally launched projectile without air resistance? (a circle / a straight line / a zigzag / a parabola) → a parabolaPrompt: Constant horizontal speed plus steadily increasing vertical speed.

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Uniform acceleration: v² − u² = 2 a s.
  • Use concrete materials: force meters.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-12.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Horizontal projectiles: time of flight and range

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    One ball is dropped and another is fired horizontally from the same height at the same moment. Which lands first (no air resistance)?

    • A. The dropped ball
    • B. They land at the same time
    • C. It depends on their masses
    • D. The fired ball
  2. Question 2

    A stone is thrown horizontally at 3 m/s from a cliff 44.1 m high. How far from the base of the cliff does it land, in m? (g = 9.8 m/s²; ignore air resistance)

    Answerm

  3. Question 3

    A ball is kicked horizontally off a cliff 5 m high. Ignoring air resistance, how long does it take to reach the beach below, in s? (g = 9.8 m/s²; give 2 decimal places)

    Answers

  4. Question 4

    A stone is thrown horizontally at 8 m/s from a cliff 19.6 m high. How far from the base of the cliff does it land, in m? (g = 9.8 m/s²; ignore air resistance)

    Answerm

  5. Question 5

    A ball is kicked horizontally off a cliff 19.6 m high. Ignoring air resistance, how long does it take to reach the beach below, in s? (g = 9.8 m/s²; give 2 decimal places)

    Answers

  6. Question 6

    During a projectile's flight (no air resistance), what happens to its horizontal velocity?

    • A. it increases
    • B. it decreases to zero
    • C. it reverses
    • D. it stays constant
  7. Question 7

    A stone is thrown horizontally at 8 m/s from a cliff 44.1 m high. How far from the base of the cliff does it land, in m? (g = 9.8 m/s²; ignore air resistance)

    Answerm

  8. Question 8

    A ball is kicked horizontally off a cliff 10 m high. Ignoring air resistance, how long does it take to reach the beach below, in s? (g = 9.8 m/s²; give 2 decimal places)

    Answers

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Answer key: Horizontal projectiles: time of flight and range

  1. 1. B. They land at the same time

  2. 2. 9 m

  3. 3. 1.01 s

  4. 4. 16 m

  5. 5. 2 s

  6. 6. D. it stays constant

  7. 7. 24 m

  8. 8. 1.43 s