Unofre Pili, Renante Violanda
This article considers a further experimental demonstration of the equations of projectile motion employing the popular video-based motion modeling tool called Tracker. Using a downloaded video - of a free throw attempt by the NBA star Lebron James - from YouTube.com, the primary equations of projectile motion, together with a number of projectile motion-based determination of the gravitational acceleration, are demonstrated. Furthermore, the equally fascinating conservation of mechanical energy is experimentally investigated in relative detail. In all cases - projectile motion, kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy, and energy conservation satisfactory agreements between theory and experimental data were observed. A number of energy-based determination of the gravitational acceleration are also presented. The use of the Lebron James video in this experimental investigation of a dynamical system is seen as exciting and fun among students, hence the apparent ease with which the learning process can be facilitated. © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.
University of San Carlos, Cebu City, 6000, Philippines
