VALIDATION OF PROJECTILE MOTION THEORY IN CLASSICAL MECHANICS USING PhET PROJECTILE MOTION SIMULATION

Piki Ardika, Siti Wahyuni, Sulhadi Sulhadi

Abstract


Projectile motion is a fundamental topic in classical mechanics that explains the motion of an object influenced solely by gravity. This study investigates the consistency between the results of the PhET Projectile Motion simulation and the theoretical model of ideal projectile motion. Simulations were performed by varying the launch angle, initial velocity, as well as the type and mass of the projectile under conditions without air resistance. Consequently, the findings are limited to ideal projectile motion scenarios and are based exclusively on simulation data. The parameters analyzed were the time required to reach the highest point, the maximum horizontal range, and the maximum height attained. The findings indicate that larger launch angles increase both the time to reach the apex and the maximum height, while the greatest horizontal range is achieved at a 45° launch angle, reaching 10.19 m. An increase in initial velocity from 5 m/s to 25 m/s results in the maximum range rising from 2.53 m to 63.65 m. In contrast, changes in projectile mass and type have no effect on the motion characteristics under ideal conditions. Comparison of simulation data with theoretical calculations produced an average error below 1%, showing excellent agreement. Overall, the results confirm that the PhET Projectile Motion simulation effectively represents and validates projectile motion concepts in classical mechanics.

Keywords


classical mechanics; kinematics; PhET simulation; projectile motion; virtual laboratory

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.29100/eduproxima.v8i3.11289

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