Projectile Motion

Learning Competency:
Investigate the relationship
between the angle of
release and the height and
the range of the projectile
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:

1. Describe how the Projection Angle affects the

Range, maximum height of a Projectile.

2. Solve problems on Projectile motion

launched at an angle.
Types of Projectile Motion

A. Horizontally Launched Projectiles

B. Projectiles Launched at an Angle

 A. Horizontally Launched PROJECTILES
TIME HORIZONTAL VELOCITY VERTICAL VELOCITY

1s 20 m/s right 9.8 m/s down

Horizontal displacement, dx 2s 20 m/s right 19.6 m/s down
3s 20 m/s right 29.4 m/s down
Vx= 20 m/s 20 m/s 20 m/s 20 m/s 20 m/s 20 m/s 20 m/s
4s 20 m/s right 39.2 m/s down
1s 5s 20 m/s right 49 m/s down
-9.8m/s
2s
3s • A projectile launched horizontally has no
-19.6 m/s
initial vertical velocity. Its vertical motion
is identical to that of a dropped object.
-29.4 m/s 4s
• The downward velocity increases
-39.2m/s uniformly due to gravity.
Vertical
displacement, dy 5s
• The horizontal velocity is uniform as
-49 m/s shown by the identical horizontal vector
arrows.

-58.8m/s
6s
B. PROJECTILES LAUNCHED AT AN ANGLE

The motion can be split into two components: Vertical Motion (Vy) and Horizontal Motion (Vx)
 B. PROJECTILES LAUNCHED AT AN ANGLE

When a projectile is launched upward at an angle, it is moving vertically at the

same time horizontally. Thus, its initial velocity has two COMPONENTS.

Vy= 0 m/s
HORIZONTAL VELOCITY
COMPONENT (Vx) never changes. It
covers equal displacements every
second.
Vy
An upward VERTICAL VELOCITY
COMPONENT (Vy) that is decreasing
Vx in magnitude until it becomes zero at
the top of the trajectory (therefore it
no longer goes up any further).
But because gravity makes it
accelerates downward at a rate of
9.8 m/s per second or 9.8 m/s2
(therefore it stays at rest only for an
instant) it will start to descend with
an increasing negative velocity until
it is stopped by something.
B. PROJECTILES LAUNCHED AT AN ANGLE

Vy= 9.8 m/s

3s
2s 4s Vx = 20.7 m/s
Vy= 19.6 m/s Vx = 20.7 m/s
Vx = 20.7 m/s
1s Vy= - 9.8 m/s
5s
Vx = 20.7 m/s

Vy= - 19.6 m/s

g= -9.8 m/s/s
36 m/s Vy= 29.4 m/s Vx = 20.7 m/s
6s
55 ⁰ Vx = 20.7 m/s Vy= - 29.4 m/s

Vertical Velocity Component, Vy Horizontal Velocity Component, Vx

Vy = (V)(sin θ) Vx = (V)(cos θ)
= (36 m/s)(Sin 55) = (36 m/s)(cos 55)
= 29.4m/s = 20.7 m/s
B. PROJECTILES LAUNCHED AT AN ANGLE
Angle of Release – the angle with which an object is
projected in the air. It affects the Range, Height and
Trajectory of the projectile
Trajectory – the path of the projectile; it has a shape of
a parabola
Height – the vertical displacement, dy travelled by the
projectile; it is the product of the average vertical velocity
(Vave) and the time the projectile rises until its vertical
velocity becomes zero.
Time to Rise = the time the projectile reaches its peak or maximum
height. It depends on the initial vertical velocity. The higher the initial
vertical velocity, the longer it rises. The time it takes for a projectile to rise
to its highest point equals the time it takes to fall from the highest point.
Time of flight = The time to rise + Time to descend. It is the time from
when the object is projected to the time it reaches the surface.
Range – the horizontal displacement or dx travelled by the
projectile; it is the product of horizontal velocity Vx and the
time of flight or total time the projectile is in the air.
Sample Problem:
A cannon ball was launched with a velocity of 36.0 m/s at an angle of 55⁰.
Since the projectile is launched at an
Solve for the following:
angle, the velocity must be broken down
a. Time of flight
into horizontal and vertical components
b. Maximum height; and
(Vx and Vy).
c. Horizontal displacement (Range)

36 m/s Viy= 29.4 m/s

Vix = 20.7m/s
TIME OF FLIGHT

55 ⁰

Vertical Velocity Component, Vy

Vy = Vsin θ = (36 m/s)(Sin 55) = 29.4m/s

Horizontal Velocity Component, Vx

Vx = Vcos θ = (36 m/s)(cos 55) = 20.7 m/s

 SAMPLE PROBLEM Horizontal Info Vertical Info

Vix = 20.7m/s Viy= 29.4 m/s

A cannon ball was launched with a velocity of 36.0
m/s at an angle of 55⁰. Vfx= 20.7 m/s Vfy= 0 m/s, at max.
Final Answer:
height
Solve for: Time of Flight
t= ? 1.64 s g= -9.8 m/s/s
=6s
A. Time of Flight (no air resistance)
dx= ? dy= ?

Solution:
Vfy= 0 m/s, at max.
height
t= Vfy-Viy t =0 m/s – 29.4 m/s t = - 29.4 m/s
time to rise = 3s
g -9.8 m/s/s -9.8 m/s/s

g= -9.8 m/s/s
Viy = 29.4 m/s t = 3.0s 3.0 s is only half of the time of flight.
55 ⁰
36 m/s
Vix = 20.7 m/s
time of flight = 2(time to rise)
6s
time of flight = 6s = (2)(3.0 s) =6s
SAMPLE PROBLEM Horizontal Info Vertical Info

Vix = 20.7 m/s Viy= 29.4 m/s

A cannon ball was launched with a velocity of 36.0
m/s at an angle of 55⁰. Vfx= 20.7 m/s
Final Answer:
Vfy= 0 m/s, at max. height

Solve for: Maximum

t= 1.64 s g= -9.8 m/s/s
height, dy
B. Maximum Height, dy dx= dy= ? 6.56 m = 44.1 m
?

Solution:
Substituting values of Vave and time
Vfy= 0 m/s, at max.
height to the formula:
dy= (Vave) (trise)
dy= (Vave) (trise)
Vave = Vf+Vi
36 m/s Viy = 29.4 m/s 2 dy= (14.7m/s)(3.0 s)
55 ⁰ = 44.1 m
Vave = 0m/s + 29.4 m/s
2 dy= 44.1 m
Vave = 14.7 m/s
SAMPLE PROBLEM Horizontal Info Vertical Info

A cannon ball was launched with a velocity of 36.0 m/s Vix = 20.7 m/s Viy= 29.4 m/s
at an angle of 55⁰.
Vfx= 20.7 m/s Vfy= 0 m/s Final Answer:
Solve for:
g= -9.8 m/s/s Range, R (dy)
t= 6s = 124.2 m
C. Horizontal Displacement or Range
dx= ? 9. 84 m dy= 44.1 m

Solution: Since there is no horizontal acceleration, and initial horizontal

velocity is equal to the final horizontal velocity, the formula for
Vfy= 0 m/s, at max.
is very simple. No need to compute for average velocity unlike
height
solving for dy.

Vfx = 20.7 m/s the horizontal velocity is multiplied by the

dx= (Vix)(Time of flight) time of flight, because as it falls down it

maintains the same horizontal velocity

36 m/s 55 ⁰ dx= (20.7 m/s)(6 s) that is why it follows a parabolic

trajectory.

Vix = 20.7 m/s

dx= 124.2 m
Vfx = 20.7 m/s

dx= ? 124.2 m
PROJECTILES LAUNCHED AT AN ANGLE

The ANGLE OF RELEASE affects

the MAXIMUM HEIGHT and the
horizontal displacement or RANGE
of the projectile.
SUMMARY OF KEY CONCEPTS

• A PROJECTILE is any object thrown into space upon which the only
acting force is gravity.
• PROJECTILES launched at an angle travel with a PARABOLIC
TRAJECTORY due to the influence of gravity.
• They have HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL VELOCITY COMPONENTS.
• The HORIZONTAL VELOCITY COMPONENT is constant. While the
VERTICAL VELOCITY COMPONENT changes in both direction and
magnitude.
• The ANGLE OF PROJECTION and VELOCITY OF PROJECTION
determine the HEIGHT, TIME OF FLIGHT, and the RANGE of a
projectile.