After the laws of Physics, everything

else is opinion.
PROJECTILE MOTION
Q4 Module 2
 After going through this lesson, you
should be able to:
❖ describe projectile motion
qualitatively and quantitatively;
❖ label a diagram illustrating projectile
motion by indicating the range,
height, trajectory, initial horizontal
velocity, and initial vertical velocity;
❖ infer from examples that the angle
of release affects the height and
range of a projectile; and
❖ use examples derive from sports
to show how the angle of release
affects the range and height of a
projectile.

❖ demonstrate what happens to the

height and range of the projectile
at different angles of release;

OBJECTIVES
OBJECTIVES
 PROJECTILE MOTION
In Aristotle’s theory of motion,
projectiles were pushed along by an
external force which was transmitted
through the air. His medieval
successors internalized this force in
the projectile itself and called it
"impetus." This impetus caused the
object to move in a straight line until it
was expended, at which point the
ARISTOTLE
object fell straight to the ground.
The canon ball travels in a straight
line until it lost its “impetus”.
Using an inclined plane, Galileo had
performed experiments on uniformly
accelerated motion, and he now used the
same apparatus to study projectile motion.
He placed an inclined plane on a table and
provided it with a curved piece at the
bottom which deflected an inked bronze
ball into a horizontal direction. The ball thus
accelerated rolled over the table-top with
uniform motion and then fell off the edge
of the table Where it hit the floor, it left
a small mark. The mark allowed the
horizontal and vertical distances traveled
by the ball to be measured
GALILEO
http://galileo.rice.edu/lib/student_work/experiment95/paraintr.html#:~:text=In%20Aristotle's
%20theory%20of%20motion,was%20transmitted%20through%20the%20air.&text=By%20varyi
ng%20the%20ball's%20horizontal,of%20a%20projectile%20is%20parabolic.
 PROJECTILE MOTION The Physics of Angry Bird
Projectile motion is a form of
motion experience by an object or Trajectory Maximum Height
particle that is projected near the Y
𝒗𝒚 = 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒚 = 𝒏𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆
Earth’s surface and moves along
a curved path under the action of
gravity only. This curved path was
Angle of Projection 𝒗 = 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕, 𝒂 = 𝟎
shown by Galileo to be a parabola 𝜃 𝒙 𝒙
X
Range

Velocity along the x component is

constant while the acceleration is zero.

ANGRY BIRD
DEFINITION

Velocity along the y component is

increasing while the acceleration is
constant and negative
 The Physics of Angry Bird The Physics of Angry Bird
Trajectory – the path of a projectile
Trajectory Maximum Height
Range – the displacement in the Y
𝒗𝒚 = 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒚 = 𝒏𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆
horizontal dimension and
depends on the initial velocity
of the object
Angle of Projection 𝒗 = 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕, 𝒂 = 𝟎
𝜃 𝒙 𝒙
X
Y component – vertical component Range

X component – horizontal component

Maximum Height – it is when the

projectile reaches zero vertical Velocity along the x component is
velocity constant while the acceleration is zero.

ANGRY BIRD
PHYSICS OF

Velocity along the y component is

Angle of Projection – the angle at increasing while the acceleration is
constant and negative
which the object is launched
 For a given constant velocity, the
maximum horizontal displacement
or range increases as the angle
of projection increases from
nearly horizontal (0°) up to 45°.
The maximum range is 45°. The
range then decreases as the
angle of projection is increased
beyond 45° to nearly vertical
(90°).

Projectile motion and

horizontal distance due to

PROJECTILES
PROJECTILES

angle.
 All projectiles regardless of its
path will always follow these
principles:
✓ Projectiles always maintain a
constant horizontal velocity
(neglecting air resistance).
✓ Projectiles always experience a
constant acceleration along the
axis the constant net force is
directed to. There is a constant
vertical acceleration of
9.8 𝑚Τ𝑠 2 , downward (neglecting
air resistance) for projectiles
PROJECTILES
on air.
✓ For projectiles on inclined
surfaces, the constant
“vertical” acceleration will be
smaller that 9.8 𝑚Τ𝑠 2 down the
tilt which is equal to 𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃.
✓ The horizontal and vertical
motions are completely
independent of each other.
Therefore, the horizontal
motion and vertical motion can
be treated separately.
PROJECTILES
 Shooting a ball Hitting a golf
in a basketball ball
game

Firing a gun
catapult
PROJECTILE

EXAMPLES
 KINEMATIC EQUATIONS FOR PROJECTILE MOTION
Horizontal Dimension Vertical Dimension

𝑎𝑥 = 0 𝑎𝑦 = −𝑎𝑦 = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
𝑣𝑥 = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
𝑣𝑓𝑥 = 𝑣𝑖𝑥 𝑣𝑓𝑦 = 𝑣𝑖𝑦 − 𝑎𝑔 𝑡
𝑥𝑓 = 𝑥𝑖 + 𝑣𝑖𝑥 𝑡 or ∆𝑥 = 𝑣𝑖𝑥 𝑡
𝑎𝑔 𝑡 2 𝑎𝑔 𝑡 2
𝑦𝑓 = 𝑦𝑖 + 𝑣𝑖𝑦 𝑡 − or ∆𝑦 = 𝑣𝑖𝑦 𝑡 −
where: 2 2

𝑎𝑥 = ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑧𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑣𝑓𝑦 2 = 𝑣𝑖𝑦 2 − 2𝑎𝑔 (𝑦𝑓 − 𝑦𝑖 )

𝑣𝑥 = ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑧𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦
𝑣𝑓𝑥 = 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑧𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 where:
𝑣𝑖𝑥 = 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑧𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑎𝑦 = 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝑥𝑓 = 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑧𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑣𝑓𝑦 = 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦

EQUATIONS
PROJECTILE

𝑥𝑖 = 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑧𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑣𝑖𝑦 = 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦

𝑡 = 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑔 = 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦
𝑦𝑓 = 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡
𝑦𝑖 = 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡
 PROJECTILE LAUNCHED
HORIZONTALLY

A projectile launched horizontally

has no initial vertical velocity.
Thus, its vertical motion is
identical to that of a dropped
object. The downward velocity
increases uniformly due to
gravity as shown by the vector
arrows of increasing lengths. The
horizontal velocity is uniform as
shown by the identical horizontal
vector arrows.
HORIZONTAL

PROJECTILE
 PROJECTILE LAUNCHED HORIZONTALLY Given: Find:
(Sample Problem) 𝑣𝑖𝑥 = 1.50 𝑚/𝑠 𝑡 =?
𝑣𝑖𝑦 = 0 𝑚Τ𝑠 a. ∆𝑦 = ?
∆𝑥 = 0.70 𝑚 b. 𝑣𝑓𝑦 = ?
A ball is thrown horizontally from 𝑎𝑔 = −9.8 𝑚Τ𝑠 2
a table top with a velocity of ∆𝑥
∆𝑥 = 𝑣𝑖𝑥 𝑡 𝑡=
1.50 𝑚Τ𝑠 . The ball falls 0.70𝑚 𝑣𝑖𝑥
away from the table’s edge. ∆𝑥 0.70𝑚
𝑡= = = 0.47 𝑠
𝑣𝑖𝑥 1.50 𝑚Τ𝑠
a. How high is the lab table?
b. What is the ball’s velocity just 𝑎𝑔 𝑡 2 𝑎𝑔 𝑡 2
𝑎. ∆𝑦 = 𝑣𝑖𝑦 𝑡 − =−
before it hits the floor? 2 2
(−9.8 𝑚Τ𝑠 2 )(0.47𝑠)2
𝑣𝑖𝑥 = 1.50 𝑚Τ𝑠 =− = 1.08 𝑚
2
HORIZONTAL

PROJECTILE
𝑣𝑖𝑦 = 0 𝑚Τ𝑠 𝑏. 𝑣𝑓𝑦 = 𝑣𝑖𝑦 − 𝑎𝑔 𝑡
= −(−9.8 𝑚Τ𝑠 2 )(0.47 s)
= 4.61 𝑚Τ𝑠

∆𝑥 = 0.70𝑚
 PROJECTILE LAUNCHED Equations for:
AT AN ANGLE
horizontal velocity component
𝑣𝑥 = 𝑣𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
y
vertical velocity component
𝑣𝑦 = 𝑣𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
𝒗
𝒗𝒚 soh cah toa
magnitude resultant vector
𝜽
0 X 𝑣 = 𝑣𝑥 2 + 𝑣𝑦 2
𝒗𝒙

𝑣𝑦
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 =
𝑣 𝑣𝑦 direction of the resultant vector
𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃 = −1 𝑣𝑦
𝑣𝑥 𝜃= 𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝑣
𝑣𝑥

PROJECTILE
𝑥
𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 =
ANGULAR

𝒗𝟐 = 𝒗𝒙 𝟐 + 𝒗𝒚 𝟐
 PROJECTILE LAUNCHED
AT AN ANGLE
When a projectile is launched upward
at an angle, its velocity has two
components:
1. a constant horizontal velocity
that moves in the same direction
as the launch, the acceleration
of which is zero; and
But because gravity makes it
accelerate downward at a rate of
9.8 𝑚Τ𝑠 2 , (therefore it stays at rest
only for an instant) it will start to
descend with an increasing negative
vertical velocity until it is stopped by
something.
y
𝒗𝒚𝒎𝒂𝒙 = 𝟎

2. an upward positive vertical 𝒗𝒚

𝒗 4 𝒗𝒙
velocity component that is 3
𝒗𝒊𝒚 2 𝒗𝒙
decreasing in magnitude until it 𝒗𝒚
becomes zero at the top of the

PROJECTILE
ANGULAR

trajectory (therefore it no Ɵ 5 𝒗𝒇𝒙

longer goes up any further). 1 𝒗𝒊𝒙
𝒂𝒈 = 𝒈 𝒗𝒇𝒚
 PROJECTILE LAUNCHED AT AN ANGLE Given: Find:
(Sample Problem) 𝑣𝑖 = 20.0 𝑚Τ𝑠 𝑣𝑖𝑥 =?
𝜃 = 450 𝑣𝑖𝑦 =? ; 𝑣𝑓𝑦 =?
A soccer ball is kicked at ground level 𝑎𝑔 = −9.8 𝑚Τ𝑠 2 𝑡 =?
with a speed of 20.0 𝑚Τ𝑠 at an angle
of 45𝑜 to the horizontal. How long does 𝑣𝑖𝑥 = 𝑣𝑖 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = (20.0 𝑚Τ𝑠) (cos 45) = 14.1 𝑚Τ𝑠
it takes for the ball to hit the ground? 𝑣𝑖𝑦 = 𝑣𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = (20.0 𝑚Τ𝑠) (sin 45) = 14.1 𝑚Τ𝑠

Since the final vertical displacement 𝑦𝑓 is

at the same elevation as the initial
vertical displacement 𝑦𝑖 , the final vertical
velocity 𝑣𝑓𝑦 is −14.1 𝑚Τ𝑠 but will be at
45𝑜 below the x-axis which is
perpendicular to the initial direction.
𝑣𝑖𝑦 =?
𝑣𝑓𝑦 = 𝑣𝑖𝑦 − 𝑎𝑔 𝑡 𝑣𝑓𝑦 − 𝑣𝑖𝑦

PROJECTILE
𝑡=
ANGULAR

𝑎𝑔

= 450 −14.1 𝑚Τ𝑠 − 14.1 𝑚Τ𝑠 = 2.9 𝑠

𝑡=
𝑣𝑖𝑥 =? −9.8 𝑚Τ𝑠 2