# Projectile Motion: Angle and Range

**Time:** 45–60 minutes

**Level:** Introductory physics
**SciFunLab guide:** https://scifunlab.com/topics/projectile-motion

## Learning objective

Use measured flight data to explain how launch angle changes horizontal range when launch speed, launch height, and gravity are controlled.

## Before the lab

Ask each learner to predict which launch angle will produce the greatest range: 20°, 35°, 45°, 60°, or 75°. They must add one sentence explaining why.

## Investigation

1. Open the Projectile Motion topic guide and launch its interactive lab.
2. Keep launch speed, gravity, launch height, and air-resistance setting unchanged.
3. Run the model at 20°, 35°, 45°, 60°, and 75°.
4. Use **Lab tools → Record current run** after each launch.
5. Export the CSV or copy the range and flight-time readings into the table below.

| Angle | Range | Maximum height | Flight time |
|---|---:|---:|---:|
| 20° | | | |
| 35° | | | |
| 45° | | | |
| 60° | | | |
| 75° | | | |

## Explain the evidence

- Which angle produced the greatest measured range?
- Which two angles produced similar ranges, and why?
- Why does increasing the angle beyond the best result eventually reduce range?
- Does the familiar 45° result still hold when launch height or drag changes? State the model conditions behind your answer.

## Extension

Repeat 35°, 45°, and 55° with air resistance enabled. Compare the new optimum with the ideal no-drag result and describe one limitation of the simulation.

## Assessment evidence

Collect the prediction, evidence table, exported CSV, conclusion, and the topic knowledge-check result. Grade the reasoning and use of controlled variables, not whether the original prediction was correct.