Lesson 4.

Projectile Motion For PLM students only

LESSON 4
PROJECTILE MOTION

Overview:
In the previous lesson, we studied objects moving along a straight-line in
x or in y--direction. In this lesson, we will study objects that move in both the
x- and y-directions simultaneously under a constant acceleration. A special
case of this two-dimensional motion is called projectile motion. You will learn
the different components of projectile motion.

Objectives:
By the end of the lesson, you must be able to:
1. draw free-body diagrams for a projectile at various points along its path.
2. calculate the horizontal and vertical components of the velocity at different
points along its trajectory.
3. calculate the maximum height, range, and time of flight.
4. calculate the position and velocity of a projectile at different points along its
trajectory.
5. collaborate with peers in formulating a coherent solution to problem-solving
question.

Projectile – is an object that is given an initial velocity from which it travels

freely under the action of gravity, neglecting all other forces, such as friction
from air resistance, without propulsion.
Trajectory of a projectile - is the path that a thrown or launched projectile
will take under the action of gravity.
Time of flight - the time of flight (T) is the time it takes for the projectile to
finish its trajectory.
Projectile motion is a physical phenomenon which occurs when an object is
projected by a force which stops exerting influence on the object after it has
been launched. A classic example of projectile motion is a football, which
becomes a projectile when it is kicked by a player.
The path of a projectile is parabolic. When it is launched, the inertia helps it
move upward, against gravity, but eventually gravity's pull becomes too strong,

M. E. OMILES Lesson 4. Projectile Motion Physics for Engineers Lec

Lesson 4. Projectile Motion For PLM students only

and the object starts to loop back to Earth. The object has also been traveling
horizontally, however, so the path of the object creates an arc.

Points to Remember in an Angled Projectile Motion

✓ Projectile launched at an angle follow a parabolic trajectory.
✓ The range is the horizontal distance a projectile travels when returning to
its original height.
✓ The horizontal and vertical components of a projectile launched at an
angle are independent of one another. Changing one does not affect the
other.
✓ Neglecting air resistance, the path of the projectile is perfectly
symmetrical.
✓ A projectile will reach the same range when launched at angles which add
to 90o (complementary angles).
✓ The vertical component of the velocity of a projectile launched at an angle
is zero when it reaches its maximum height.
✓ The speed of a projectile at a given height while traveling up is equal to the
speed of the projectile at the same height when traveling down.

M. E. OMILES Lesson 4. Projectile Motion Physics for Engineers Lec

Lesson 4. Projectile Motion For PLM students only

Displacement:
Consider vertical motion: (remember freely falling bodies and uniform
horizontal motion)
1 1
1. 𝑦 = 𝑣𝑖𝑦 𝑡 + 2 𝑔𝑡 2 = 𝑣𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃𝑡 + 2 𝑔𝑡 2

2. 𝑥 = 𝑣𝑖𝑥 𝑡 = 𝑣𝑖 cos 𝜃 𝑡

Velocity:
3. 𝑣𝑓𝑦 = 𝑣𝑖𝑦 + 𝑔𝑡 = 𝑣𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 + 𝑔𝑡

𝑣𝑓 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝑣𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 + 𝑔𝑡

4. 𝑣𝑓𝑦 2 = 𝑣𝑖𝑦 2 + 2𝑔𝑦

5. 𝑣𝑓𝑥 = 𝑣𝑖𝑥 (This means that the x-component of the velocity does not
change throughout the trajectory if air resistance is neglected).
Note: Consider +g when object is going down, -g when object is going up.
Use g = 9.8 m/s2

Illustrative Problem 1.
On a military mission a pilot on a helicopter flying horizontally at 200m/s
drops a bomb at an altitude of 300m. At what horizontal distance from the
target should the bomb be dropped?

Given: Required: x
vi = 200m/s
θ = 0o
y = 300m

M. E. OMILES Lesson 4. Projectile Motion Physics for Engineers Lec

Lesson 4. Projectile Motion For PLM students only

Solution:
1 1
𝑦 = 𝑣𝑖𝑦 𝑡 + 2 𝑔𝑡 2 = 𝑣𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃𝑡 + 2 𝑔𝑡 2
1 1 𝑚
300𝑚 = 𝑣𝑖 sin 0𝑜 𝑡 + 2 𝑔𝑡 2 = 0 + 2 (9.81 𝑠2 ) 𝑡 2

𝑡 = 7.82 𝑠

𝑥 = 𝑣𝑖𝑥 𝑡 = 𝑣𝑖 cos 𝜃 𝑡
= 200𝑚/𝑠 cos 0𝑜 (7.82 𝑠)
𝒙 = 𝟏, 𝟓𝟔𝟒 𝒎

Illustrative Problem 2.
A Zeus kicks a stationary ball, giving it a speed of 23 m/s at an angle of 14o
with the horizontal. (a) What is the maximum height reached by the ball? (b)
What is the maximum range? (c) How long is the ball in air?

Consider the initial point and the highest point:

Remember: vfy =0 at the highest point of the trajectory
𝑚 𝑚
0 = 𝑣𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 + 𝑔𝑡 = (23 𝑠 ) sin 14𝑜 − 9.8 𝑠2 𝑡

𝑡 = 0.57 𝑠 (This is the time it takes the ball to reach the highest point).

1 1
𝑦 = 𝑣𝑖𝑦 𝑡 + 2 𝑔𝑡 2 = 𝑣𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃𝑡 + 2 𝑔𝑡 2

M. E. OMILES Lesson 4. Projectile Motion Physics for Engineers Lec

Lesson 4. Projectile Motion For PLM students only

𝑚 1 𝑚 2
𝑦 = (23 ) sin 14𝑜 (0.57 𝑠) − 9.8 2 (0.57𝑠)
𝑠 2 𝑠
𝒚 = 𝟏. 𝟓𝟖 𝒎 (This is the maximum height reached by the ball)

t = 0.57 s is the time to reach the highest point, which is half the
trajectory. Therefore, the total time of flight is T = 2t = 2(0.57s) = 1.14s

Solving for the maximum range:

𝑥 = 𝑣𝑖𝑥 𝑡 = 𝑣𝑖 cos 𝜃 𝑡
𝑥 = (23 𝑚/𝑠) cos 14𝑜 (1.14𝑠) = 𝟐𝟓. 𝟒𝟒 𝒎

Illustrative Problem 3.
A golf ball is hit and given a certain initial velocity at an angle of 20
degrees from the horizontal. It strikes an elevated ground 30.0m away
horizontally and 2.0m from the point where it was hit. What is the initial
velocity of the ball?

Solution:
𝑥 = 𝑣𝑖 cos 𝜃 𝑡
𝑥
𝑡= (Let this be equation 1)
𝑣𝑖 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃

1
𝑦 = 𝑣𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑡 − 𝑔𝑡 2 (Let this be equation 2)
2

M. E. OMILES Lesson 4. Projectile Motion Physics for Engineers Lec

Lesson 4. Projectile Motion For PLM students only

Substitute equation1 in equation 2:

1 𝑥 1 𝑥
𝑦 = 𝑣𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑡 − 𝑔𝑡 2 = 𝑣𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 (𝑣 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃) − 𝑔(𝑣 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃)2
2 𝑖 2 𝑖

30.0𝑚 1 30.0𝑚
2.0 𝑚 = 𝑣𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛20 (𝑣 𝑐𝑜𝑠20) − 9.8𝑚/𝑠 2 (𝑣 𝑐𝑜𝑠20)2
𝑖 2 𝑖

Solving for vi:

vi = 23.65 m/s

Practice Problems:
1. A kangaroo jumps at an angle of 55 o and lands 0.80m from where it
jumped. (a) What is the maximum height of the kangaroo during its jump?
(b) If it jumps with same initial velocity at an angle of 45o, would the maximum
height be larger or smaller? (c) What about the maximum range?
(Answer: (a) y = 0.28m; (b) y = smaller; (c) x = larger
2. A ball is kicked from the ground with an initial velocity of 5 m/s at an angle
of 60o with the horizontal. Calculate: (a) the maximum height reached by the
ball (b) the maximum range (c) the time it takes to reach the ground.
(Answer: (a) y = 0.97 m; (b) x = 2.2m; (c) t = 0.88 s
3. A physics book slides off a horizontal table top with a speed of 1.10 m/s. It
strikes the floor in 0.35 s. Find: (a) the height of the table top above the floor.
(b) the horizontal distance from the edge of the floor to the point where the
book strikes the floor.
(Answer: y = 0.60m; x = 0.39 m)

M. E. OMILES Lesson 4. Projectile Motion Physics for Engineers Lec