PROJECTILE WORKSHEET 2

1. The aeroplane shown in Figure is travelling

horizontally at 95 m/s . It has to drop a crate of
emergency supplies. The air resistance acting on
the crate may be neglected.
A. The crate is released from the aircraft at
point P and lands at point Q. Sketch the path
followed by the crate between P and Q as
seen from the ground.
B. Explain why the horizontal component of the
crate's velocity remains constant while it is
moving through the air.
i. To avoid damage to the crate, the
maximum vertical component of the
crate’s velocity on landing should be 32 m/s . Show that the maximum height from which
the crate can be dropped is approximately 52 m.
ii. Calculate the time taken for the crate to reach the ground if the crate is dropped from a
height of 52 m.
iii. If R is a point on the ground directly below P, calculate the horizontal distance QR. In
practice air resistance is not negligible. State and explain the effect this has on the
Maximum height from which the crate can be dropped.

2. A Mangonel is a type of catapult used to launch projectiles such as rocks. A student made a working
model of a Mangonel. As the handle is turned, the arm is pulled back by the string. This increases
the tension in the rubber band. When the string is released, the rubber band causes the arm to
move upwards, launching a projectile from the bucket when the arm hits the crossbar.
 A. The student wishes to place a target in the path of the projectile. The height of the target is 5.0
cm. The projectile is released horizontally from a height of 13.0 cm.
(i) Show that the time taken for the projectile to fall to a height of 5.0 cm is about 0.1 s.
(ii) When the arm was pulled back through an angle of 60°, the time taken for the projectile to
travel 1.7 m horizontally was 0.16 s. Calculate the minimum horizontal distance that the
target should be placed from the model for the projectile to hit it.
B. The student varied the angle to the vertical at which the arm was released. The range of the
projectile was measured for each angle.

Release angle to the vertical / ° 15 30 45 60

Mean range / m 0.14 0.58 0.95 1.70

(i) Explain why the range increases as the angle increases.

(ii) The student replaces the projectile with one of a smaller mass. State why this increases the
range of the projectile.

3. In a competition, ski jumpers ski down an inrun and then take off from a platform. They aim to
land as far as possible along a downhill slope. The scoring is based on the distance travelled by
the ski jumper beyond the k-point, which is positioned 120 m along the downhill slope
A. Before the competition begins, the ski jumpers have practice runs. If any ski jumper lands too far
beyond the k-point, the initial start point on the inrun for the competition will be at a lower
position. Explain, in terms of the initial energy of the ski jumper, why starting at a lower position
will result in a safer landing.

B. A ski jumper leaves the take-off platform horizontally with a velocity of 28 m/s and lands 4.0 s
later.
(i) Calculate the angle to the horizontal at which she is moving just before she lands.
(ii) The ski jumper receives 60 points if she lands at the k-point and then 1.8 points for every
additional metre along the slope beyond the k-point. The downhill slope has a constant
gradient at 35° to the horizontal. Determine the total points scored for the jump.