AP Physics I is a class from one of the three sciences—physics, chemistry, and biology—students must take to graduate from MSMS. In AP Physics 1, students learn the basic concepts of physics, and additional classes can be taken in conjunction with AP Physics I to go deeper into detail of the concepts taught. On Tuesday and Wednesday, in Dr. Charles Vaughan’s 3rd Period AP Physics I class, students applied what they have learned about projectiles to engage in “war.” The students used projectile launchers and small plastic balls to hit a target placed on the floor. The students altered the angle of a projectile launcher and measured the distance, or horizontal displacement, of the launched ball. After the students found the average distance for each predetermined angle, they found an equation that modeled the distance traveled versus angle and prepared to face off in “battle.” Each team placed their “home base,” a small plastic cup, in front of their enemy’s projectile launcher. The teams then calculated the angle needed to launch the ball to hit the cup, destroy the enemies base, and eliminate the competition.
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