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Science lesson plan · 12th grade (Year 13 in England) · 60 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 · 6 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 4 m/s and accelerates uniformly at 3 m/s² over 50 m. What is its final velocity, in m/s? (Give 1 decimal place.) → 17.8 m/sPrompt: Use v² − u² = 2 a s.
  2. A car travelling at 15 m/s brakes with a deceleration of 10 m/s². What is its braking distance, in m? (Give 1 decimal place.) → 11.3 mPrompt: Final velocity v = 0.
  3. A train speeds up from 10 m/s to 25 m/s over 100 m. What is its acceleration, in m/s²? (Give 2 decimal places.) → 2.63 m/s²Prompt: a = (v² − u²) ÷ (2 s)

Hook · 6 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 · 12 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 · 12 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 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) → 1.01 sPrompt: Vertical motion starts from zero vertical velocity.
  2. A stone is thrown horizontally at 10 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) → 20 mPrompt: Find the time of flight from the vertical motion.

You do: independent practice · 17 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 · 7 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. During a projectile's flight (no air resistance), what happens to its horizontal velocity? (it stays constant / it increases / it reverses / it decreases to zero) → it stays constantPrompt: Which force acts horizontally?
  2. A ball is kicked horizontally off a cliff 20 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) → 2.02 sPrompt: Vertical motion starts from zero vertical velocity.

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

    A ball is thrown horizontally faster from the same height. What happens to its time of flight (no air resistance)?

    • A. it gets shorter
    • B. it never lands
    • C. it stays the same, but it lands further away
    • D. it gets longer
  2. Question 2

    A ball rolls horizontally off a table 1.2 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)

    Answers

  3. Question 3

    A stone is thrown horizontally at 5 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

  4. Question 4

    A ball is kicked horizontally off a cliff 20 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

  5. Question 5

    A stone is thrown horizontally at 3 m/s from a cliff 4.9 m high. How far from the base of the cliff does it land, in m? (g = 9.8 m/s²; ignore air resistance)

    Answerm

  6. Question 6

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

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

    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

  8. Question 8

    A stone is thrown horizontally at 10 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

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Answer key: Horizontal projectiles: time of flight and range

  1. 1. C. it stays the same, but it lands further away

  2. 2. 0.49 s

  3. 3. 10 m

  4. 4. 2.02 s

  5. 5. 3 m

  6. 6. B. it stays constant

  7. 7. 1.01 s

  8. 8. 20 m