Plan the investigation
What students will do
Start with a guided comparison, then plan an investigation, analyze a graph, and check a prediction.
- Compare incoming speeds. Measure the catcher’s rise for several projectile speeds with both masses fixed.
- Design and collect. Choose at least five catcher masses while keeping projectile mass and launch velocity fixed. Measure each maximum rise.
- Linearize the model. Transform the mass and rise data. Use a best-fit line to infer the projectile’s incoming horizontal speed.
- Explain and predict. Separate momentum conservation during impact from energy conservation during the swing. Predict and test an unused catcher mass.
What students will learn
- Choose conservation laws for different stages of motion.
- Measure rise using consistent center positions.
- Infer an incoming speed from transformed collision-and-swing data.
Common misconception
Is mechanical energy conserved through both stages?
An embedding impact and the subsequent swing require different conservation-law reasoning.