Ballistics is the study of a projectile in motion. TC 3-22.

9 defines it as “Ballistics is the

science of the processes that occur from the time a firearm is fired to the time when the
bullet impacts its target [and ceases movement].” Put simply, Ballistics is everything that
happens the moment the firing pin comes in contact with the primer, to just before the
projectile ceases movement in its target.

There are three major categories of ballistics: Internal, External, and Terminal. Internal
ballistics are everything that happens to the projectile from the moment the trigger is
squeezed to the moment before it exits the barrel. External ballistics is everything that
happens to the projectile from the moment it exits the barrel to just before it impacts on its
target (whatever it happens to be), and Terminal ballistics are what happens to the projectile
from the moment it enters its target, to the moment before it comes to rest.
Example John kicks the ball and ball does projectile motion with an angle of 53º

to horizontal. Its initial velocity is 10 m/s, find the maximum height it can reach,

horizontal displacement and total time required for this motion. (sin53º=0, 8 and

cos53º=0, 6)
 Example In the given picture you see the motion path of cannonball. Find the

maximum height it can reach, horizontal distance it covers and total time from the

given information. (The angle between cannonball and horizontal is 53º and

sin53º=0, 8 and cos53º=0, 6)

Problem 1
An object is launched at a velocity of 20 m/s in a direction making an angle of 25°
upward with the horizontal.
a) What is the maximum height reached by the object?
b) What is the total flight time (between launch and touching the ground) of the
object?
c) What is the horizontal range (maximum x above ground) of the object?
d) What is the magnitude of the velocity of the object just before it hits the
ground?

Solution to Problem 1:

a) The formulas for the components Vx and Vy of the velocity and components x
and y of the displacement are given by
Vx = V0 cos(?)       Vy = V0 sin(?) - g t
x = V0 cos(?) t       y = V0 sin(?) t - (1/2) g t2
In the problem V0 = 20 m/s, ? = 25° and g = 9.8 m/s2.
The height of the projectile is given by the component y, and it reaches its
maximum value when the component Vy is equal to zero. That is when the
projectile changes from moving upward to moving downward.(see figure above)
and also the animation of the projectile.
Vy = V0 sin(?) - g t = 0
solve for t
t = V0 sin(?) / g = 20 sin(25°) / 9.8 = 0.86 seconds
Find the maximum height by substituting t by 0.86 seconds in the formula for y
maximum height y (0.86) = 20 sin(25°)(0.86) - (1/2) (9.8) (0.86) 2 = 3.64 meters
b) The time of flight is the interval of time between when projectile is launched: t1
and when the projectile touches the ground: t2. At t = t1 and t = t2, y = 0
(ground). Hence
V0 sin(?) t - (1/2) g t2 = 0
Solve for t
t(V0 sin(?) - (1/2) g t) = 0
two solutions
t = t1 = 0 and t = t2 = 2 V0 sin(?) / g
Time of flight = t2 - t1 = 2 (20) sin(?) / g = 1.72 seconds.
c) In part c) above we found the time of flight t2 = 2 V0 sin(?) / g. The horizontal
range is the horizontal distance given by x at t = t2.
range = x(t2) = V0 cos(?) t2 = 2 V0 cos(?) V0 sin(?) / g = V02 sin(2?) / g = 202 sin
(2(25°)) / 9.8 = 31.26 meters

d) The object hits the ground at t = t2 = 2 V0 sin(θ) / g (found in part b above)

The components of the velocity at t are given by
Vx = V0 cos(?)       Vy = V0 sin(?) - g t
The components of the velocity at t = 2 V0 sin(θ) / g are given by
Vx = V0 cos(?) = 20 cos(25°)       Vy = V0 sin(25°) - g (2 V0 sin(25°) / g) = -
V0 sin(25°)
The magnitude V of the velocity is given by
V = √[ Vx2 + Vy2 ] = √[ (20 cos(25°))2 + (- V0 sin(25°))2 ] = V0 = 20 m/s