The Flight
To Bounce or Not to Bounce

To Bounce or Not to Bounce
Projectile Range Activity
Graphing Calculator Activity

Overview of Lesson

This activity is designed to explore the question of whether a centerfielder should throw the ball to second base without allowing the ball to hit the ground, or if he should throw it to second base on one bounce.

Goal

Students will understand the vector components of a projectile.

Objectives

• The students will draw horizontal and vertical components to represent the speed of a baseball thrown from the outfield to second base for each case.

• The students will describe why an outfielder is better off throwing a ball into second base by bouncing it once rather than throwing it higher to make it to second base without ground contact.

• The students will explain how the vertical and horizontal components of motion are independent of each other.

Ohio Academic Content Standards

Materials

• Baseballs
• Baseball gloves
• Stopwatches
• Tape measure

Procedure

1. Working in groups of three, have each group spread out and stand 100 feet opposite of each other. One partner will hold the stopwatch, and the other partners will throw and catch the ball.

2. Each student will throw the ball five times through the air and five times bouncing it to the catching partner. Rotate students until each person has thrown.

3. Each group should determine its average throw times for each type of throw.

4. Lead students in a discussion about vector components of motion using the analysis questions to guide the process.

Data Table

See Appendix E for Student Sheet.

Analysis

1. Based on your data, which ball would you expect to reach the second baseman first?

2. Develop a reasonable explanation as to why it would reach second base first.

3. What is a vector?

4. What factors affect the vertical component of an object's motion?

5. What factors affect the horizontal component of an object's motion?

6. Do the two components of motion depend on each other?

Evaluation

This activity can be evaluated using informal observations as students work together to perform the tasks. This is also an activity in which a formal evaluation can be registered by assessing the students on their ability to accurately collect data, plot graphs and reach conclusions. See Appendix B for a rubric for the evaluation of the graph.