Product Summary
The Smart Ballistic Cart Accessory mounts to any PASCO dynamics cart for a classic demonstration on the independence of X and Y motion. A projectile fired from the accessory while a cart is in motion will be caught farther down the track. When mounted to a PASCO aluminum cart, or PAScar, the projectile is launched using a push button timer delay. When connected to a PASCO Smart Cart, the Smart Ballistic Accessory can launch the projectile based on measurements made by the Smart Cart in either Sparkvue or PASCO Capstone software.
The original PASCO ballistic accessory debuted in 1994, and is known for its reliable operation. After 25 years, we felt it was time for an update! This newer design removes the old photogate design which required a separate piece to trigger the launcher. Now, projectiles are launched using a time delay or measurements collected directly from a Smart Cart.
Features
- Compatible with all PASCO dynamics carts
- Push button timer to delay launching the projectile until after the cart is pushed
- Release mechanism does not affect cart motion or ball flight path
- The barrel has X and Y adjustments, so perfect vertical projections can be produced every time
- Fires a colored nylon ball 0.5 meters or higher for impressive demonstrations
- Enables measurement-based launching conditions when connected to a Smart Cart
- USB rechargeable Lithium-ion battery
Applications
- Shoot and catch with constant velocity
- Tunnel — launch the projectile before entering a tunnel, and catch after exiting the tunnel.
- Accelerating cart with an inclined plane
How It Works
Attach the Smart Ballistic Accessory to any PASCO dynamics cart using the captured mounting screws. X-Y adjustments on the top deck of the accessory (red thumb screws) are used to adjust the aim of the launcher. Insert one of the yellow projectiles into the launcher and press down. The launcher is now set to fire.
When attached to any PASCO dynamics cart, press the timer button on top of the Smart Ballistic Accessory. This provides a one second delay before the projectile is launched. After the button is pressed, give your dynamics cart a push. The projectile will fire upwards, and be caught farther down the track.
When attached to a PASCO Smart Cart, connect the accessory cable to the accessory port on the Smart Cart. In either PASCO Capstone or SPARKvue, you can launch the ball by pressing a button in the software. In PASCO Capstone, you can set a particular distance or time at which the ball will launch. Using Blockly coding, in either PASCO Capstone or SPARKvue software, you can set the launch condition to be based on a Smart Cart measurement of position, velocity, or acceleration. Start recording data, and push the Smart Cart. The projectile will fire when the measurement condition is met.
If the cart is moving at a constant velocity, the ball will fall back into the catcher on the cart.
What's Included
- 1x Smart Ballistic Cart Accessory
- 2x Plastic Ball
- 1x USB Charging Cable
- 1x Smart Cart Accessory Cable
Data Collection Software
This product requires PASCO software for data collection and analysis. We recommend the following option(s). For more information on which is right for your classroom, see our Software Comparison: SPARKvue vs. Capstone »
Experiment Library
Perform the following experiments and more with the Smart Ballistic Cart Accessory.
Visit PASCO's Experiment Library to view more activities.
College • High School / Physics
Push the Smart Ballistic Cart on a level track and the ball is shot up and caught. Then put a tunnel (made from a plastic trash can) over the track. Have the ball launch just before the cart goes into the tunnel and the ball will...
College • High School / Physics
Push the Smart Ballistic Cart on a level track: The ball is shot and caught. Then push the cart on a level track but put a friction block in the cart's way: The ball is shot up and misses the cart because the cart has slowed down....
College • High School / Physics
Push the Smart Ballistic Cart on a level track: The ball is shot and caught. Then attach a string to the cart and put a mass hanging over a pulley to pull the cart on a level track: The ball is shot up and misses the cart because...
