Physics · Lesson Worlds

Projectiles: interactive science lab

Aim a shot, change the angle, and prove you can read the arc from the launch.

Free · No account required · Runs in your browser

What will you learn?

Range depends on speed and angle. 45° flies farthest on flat ground. 30° and 60° land equally far.

How does the lab work?

Observe the simulation, make a prediction, change a variable, run the experiment, and explain the result. Finish with a challenge that tests your understanding.

You can change: Angle, Speed. Compare what happens and connect the result to the scientific explanation.

Try a comparison in Projectiles

Start with the lab’s initial settings. Choose one control below, predict the result, and change that control while keeping the others fixed. Record the setting and what you observe before making a second change.

Angle: the lab starts at 30 °; its available range is 15–75 °.
Speed: the lab starts at 20 m/s; its available range is 12–28 m/s.

For a named starting condition, try 20°, 45°, 70°. A preset can change several settings: check the controls before treating two presets as a one-variable comparison.

Questions to discuss during the activity

Watch what happens. It rises, then gravity bends it back to the ground. Watch the shot leave at 30°.
Name the cause. Speed across the ground carries range. Speed up buys time in the air. Too flat, little time. Too steep, little across. In between, the arc goes farthest. The launch splits into across and up.
Change something. Move toward 45° and the shot should land farther. Change the angle, then launch.
Guess before you run. If we raise the angle to 45°, the shot will… Guess what will happen, then run to check.

After your comparison, explain how the observations connect to this idea: Range depends on speed and angle. 45° flies farthest on flat ground. 30° and 60° land equally far. Name one condition you held fixed and one feature of the real world this model simplifies. A completed run is a starting point for discussion, rather than proof of mastery.

Who is it for?

Curious learners exploring physics. A parent or teacher can help younger learners read the instructions and discuss the results. Choose by topic and prior knowledge rather than a fixed grade level.

Is this lab free?

Yes. This interactive lab is free without signing in or a paid membership.

No app download is needed; interactive play requires JavaScript and a modern browser.

Use this activity with a learner

Families and educators · choose by prior knowledge

Learning goal: Range depends on speed and angle. 45° flies farthest on flat ground. 30° and 60° land equally far.

Before you begin: Read the controls for Angle, Speed. Make one prediction before changing a setting.

Check understanding: Ask for one observation, the evidence that supports it, and a question to investigate next.

A simulation simplifies the real world. Explain which conditions stayed fixed; a successful run alone does not demonstrate mastery.

Explore the path of a projectile: prediction, evidence, and follow-up

Share Projectiles with your family or class. No account is needed to open the free resource.

Activity and guide by Lesson Worlds. About the platform.

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