======Ballistic Car======


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**Materials: **{{$demo.materials_description}}\\
**Difficulty: **{{$demo.difficulty_description}}\\
**Safety: **{{$demo.safety_description}}\\
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**Categories:** {{$demo.categories}}
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**Alternative titles:** Moving Cart Ball Launcher
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====Summary====                   
{{$demo.summary}}



====Procedure====  
  - Place a ballistic car on a low-friction track or smooth surface.
  - Load the spring mechanism with a steel ball in the vertical barrel.
  - Push the car gently so it coasts at a steady speed.
  - While the car is in motion, trigger the spring launcher to propel the ball straight upward.
  - Observe that the ball rises and falls back into the barrel while the cart continues moving.



====Links==== 
The Ballistics Car—A Classic Demonstration That Still Amazes Students! - Arbor Scientific: 
{{youtube>bzlpyvS1DBA?}}\\

Ballistic Cart Demonstration Video - George Reddick: 
{{youtube>r-dN-_lV1S4?}}\\

📄 Shepard's Crook Pink Ball Release and Catch by Ballistic Cart - Vanderbilt University: [[https://www.vanderbilt.edu/physicsdemonstration/davesdemos/demonstrations/demo172.htm]]\\

====Variations====
  * Change the speed of the cart to show the result holds for different horizontal velocities.
  * Try launching the ball at rest and compare with launching while moving.
  * Use a high-speed camera to analyze the ball’s trajectory in both the lab and cart frames of reference.



====Safety Precautions====
  * Keep hands clear of the spring mechanism when launching.
  * Do not overcompress the spring to avoid damaging the launcher.
  * Ensure the track or floor is clear to prevent collisions or tripping hazards.




====Questions to Consider====
  * Why does the ball land back in the barrel instead of behind the cart? (Because both ball and cart retain the same horizontal velocity.)
  * How would the result differ without gravity? (The ball would continue upward indefinitely but still share the cart’s horizontal motion.)
  * What principle of motion is illustrated by this demonstration? (The independence of horizontal and vertical motion.)