The Path of the Ball by Qwest and Shane

In math b, we did an experiment based on parabolas. We had to throw a ball in the air and see if it came straight down or in an arc shape. I believed that when you throw a ball in the air it came down in a striaght line, but it actually doesn't it comes down in an arc shape. This experiment taught me a lot. If you dont believe me just look at my graph that was made during the experiment. You can model the pat of a ball as it is in the air by continuously throwing it up in the air and graph it using Microsoft Exell for accuracy. It is generally displayed as an upside down parabloa and it curves!!!!!If you need more proof try it yourself.

Posting Excel Graphs on the Blog

Hello fabulous MSI Visionaries!

You did a PHENOMENAL job on the ball dropping experiment, so now you are going to post your Excel graphs online for all the world to see. You will be working in your lab groups, and your entire team should only post ONE graph on the blog.

Posting images is very easy on the blog (as many of you have found out by posting photos on our website!). It is important for you, though, to follow the steps below EXACTLY for your image to be clear and understandable.

Steps to Post your Excel Graph on the Blog:

1. Open up the saved Excel document that has your graph, and get the graph on your screen.
2. Left click on the white part of the graph.
3. From the menu above, select "Edit-Copy".
4. Open up a new blank document in Paint.
5. "Paste" your Excel graph into paint.
6. Go into "Save As" in Paint.
7. Go to "Save as Type" and select JPEG (this must be used-if you use something else, the file will be too big and NOT post on the blog).
8. Name your graph, and save it to your folder on the student server (or a friend's folder if you are in 9B).
9. Go to www.blogger.com
10. Log in as yourself with your name and password.
11. Select the green cross "Create New Post".
12. Write a title that include's the names of your lab team members.
13. Click on the picture icon that is next to the ABC check mark.
14. For "Choose a Layout", select "None".
15. For "Image Size", select "Large".
16. Select "Browse" from the menu "Add an image from your computer".
17. Find the Paint document you just saved and select it.
18. Hit the blue button "Upload Image".
19. Underneath the image, copy your one paragraph conclusion from your case journal.
20. Save the Draft if you are not finished, or publish post if you are.
21. Finally, comment on each other's graphs with constructive comments about why the graph is a good model of projectile motion or specifically how the model or graph could be improved.

This blog posting, as well as comments on peers' work, is due by Friday, January 13th.

Good Luck!
Mrs. Collins

Analyzing the Results of the Ball Tossing Experiment Using Excel

Good Afternoon Visionaries!

Today you are going to use Excel to create a model (picture) of what happens when a ball is tossed in the air.

Make sure you save your Excel spreadsheet on the student server - do not print it out.

Follow the steps below for completing the Excel part of the project:

1. Open up Microsoft Excel.
2. Copy Table B: Actual Time vs. Height Results onto the Excel spreadsheet.
3. Next, select the bar graph icon at the top.
4. Choose XY (Scatter) for Chart Type.
5. Choose the picture that has curves with the points (middle left).
6. For the data range, highlight only the NUMBERS in your spreadsheet (no words).
7. Make sure "Series in Columns" is checked.
8. Give your chart a title, as welll as the x and y axes (with units!).
9. Choose to place the chart in a new sheet.
10. Compare the Excel graph to the prediction you wrote in your case journal. Sketch what the Excel graph looks like in your journal, next to your prediction.
11. Finally, save your work on the student server, in your own folder.

Ball Tossing Experiment

Happy 2006!

Now that you have completed your first lab of the new year, the ball tossing experiment, you need to answer a few questions and make a few predictions before moving ahead to the Excel part of the project. You should answer these questions by posting a comment to this post. ANSWER IN COMPLETE SENTENCES!!!

1. What was the longest flight time you had for the ball?
2. What was the shortest flight time you had for the ball?
3. Why was there a difference?
4. What form of measurement did you use to estimate the height of the ball?
5. In your estimation, what was the maximum height your ball reached?
6. When you graph your data, what do you think the graph will look like?
7. Is the path of a ball being tossed in the air a function or not? Defend your answer.