SPH4U Unit: Forces and Motion

PROJECTILE MOTION

LEARNING GOALS
We are learning to...
 solve problems involving projectiles by splitting motion up into horizontal and vertical components
 apply problem solving techniques when answering word problems

DEFINITION

Projectile Motion: The motion of an object that is given an initial velocity and is under the
influence of only gravity

Case I Case II Case III

QUESTION

Imagine two rubber balls – one is

thrown horizontally while at the same
time the other is allowed to drop to
the ground. Which ball will hit the
ground first?

video

Same time
Why? Acceleration only occurs in the vertical direction.
The horizontal motion is independent of the vertical motion.
BOTH balls are experiencing acceleration due to gravity

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SPH4U Projectile Motion

The force of gravity accelerates projectiles down results in a downward

acceleration due to gravity.
The force of gravity does not affect the horizontal component of motion 
maintains a constant horizontal velocity.
The vertical and horizontal components of a projectile operate independent of each
other combined effect is the addition of their separate effects.
Due to this, projectiles travel with a parabolic trajectory.

DEFINITIONS

The range is the horizontal distance that a projectile moves.

The max height is the highest point that a projectile reaches during its flight.

The launch angle (θ) is the angle above the horizontal that a projectile is launched at.

THE MATH OF PROJECTILE MOTION

The motion of a projectile can be described by the following variables…

VARIABLE X-direction Y-direction
acceleration
velocity
displacement

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SPH4U Projectile Motion

VARIABLE X-direction Y-direction

acceleration ax= 0 ay = - 9.8 m/s2 [up] = 9.8 m/s2 [down]
velocity v1x (constant) v1y , v2y
displacement ∆dx ∆dy

PROJECTILE EQUATIONS

These equations can be used to solve any projectile problems. With a little algebra, you can solve
for any of the variables.


v ixInitial velocity Path of motion


 vt Velocity at any instant, t
v ty

v tx Figure 1

Simple Case (Figure 1):

What are the variables that you can use? What are the equations that you can use? Are there
values that you already know?
VARIABLE X-direction Y-direction
acceleration
Initial velocity
displacement
time

In the Horizontal direction: Object is given a constant horizontal velocity (x-direction). There is
no acceleration throughout.

In the Vertical direction: Object has zero initial velocity but experiences gravitational
acceleration (i.e., it is in free fall)

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SPH4U Projectile Motion

VARIABLE X-direction Y-direction

acceleration =0 9.8 m/s2 [down]
 
Initial velocity v ix = vi cosθ = vi cos0 = vi v iy = vi sin0 = 0
displacement ∆dx ∆dy
time ∆t ∆t
***You may use the equations for
uniform acceleration BUT all the
vectors MUST be in the SAME
direction***

Problem solving tip: Use this chart in EVERY PROBLEM!

X-direction [fwd] Y-direction [down]

vix= vi cosθ a = 9.8 m/s2
∆dx viy = vi sin θ
∆t vfy
∆dy
∆t
vx= dx / ∆t Use 1/5 kinematics
(need 2/3 variables) equations (need ¾
variables)

Examples:
1. A stone is thrown horizontally at 5.0 m/s [right] from the top of a cliff 78.4 m high.

a) How long does it take to reach the ground?

Δdy = viyΔt + ½ aΔt2 (use constant acceleration equation in the y-direction
only)
But viy = 0 (no initial y-velocity)
2 dy 2(78.4 )
Δt =  = 4.0 s
a 9.8

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SPH4U Projectile Motion

b) How far from the base of the cliff does the stone strike the ground?
dx
vix  (use constant velocity equation in the x-direction only)
t
Δdx = vixΔt = (5.0)(4.0) = 20. m [right]

2. A steel ball rolls with constant velocity across a tabletop 0.95 m high. It rolls off and hits the
ground 0.352 m horizontally from the table edge.
a) How fast was the ball rolling?

Vx = ? v ix  ?
Δdy = 0.950 m
Δdx = 0.352 m
a = 9.8 m/s2
Since the initial velocity dy = 0.950 m
is in the x-direction only,
we must use the constant
velocity equation in the
x-direction
dx
vix 
t
dx = 0.352 m
Now we need to find Δt
using one of the constant acceleration equations in the y-direction (since there is no
other x-direction equation we could use)

1
a  t  ,
2
dy  v iy t  but viy = 0, so
2

2 dy 2(0.950 )
Δt =  = 0.44 s
a 9.8

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SPH4U Projectile Motion

Therefore,
dx
v ix 
t
vix = 0.352 / 0.44 = 0.80 m/s [R]

b) What are the components of the velocities at the moment of impact?

Note: At the instant of impact, velocity is NOT zero!

Vfx = vix = 0.80 m/s [R]

Vfy = viy + aΔt

= 0 + (9.8)(0.44)
= 4.3 m/s [D]

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SPH4U Projectile Motion

c) What is the resultant final velocity? (use L, R or U, D for direction)


v fx
 v fx 2   v fy 
2
vf    0.80 2   4.3 2  4.4 m/s


v fy 4.3  v fy
tan     5.375 vf
v fx 0.8
  79 

vf = 4.4 m/s [R 790 D]

DETERMINING V 1 X AND V 1 Y USING VECTOR COMPONENTS

Case II (Figure 2):



v ix  vt
v ty
 
v iy  v tx
vi Figure 2

VARIABLE X-direction Y-direction

acceleration
Initial velocity
displacement
time

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SPH4U Projectile Motion

VARIABLE X-direction Y-direction

acceleration =0 9.8 m/s2 [down]
 
Initial velocity v ix = vi cosθ v iy = vi sinθ
displacement ∆dx ∆dy = 0
time ∆t ∆t

Problem Solving Tips:

Use the same method as before but remember that

v iy  0 AND ∆dy =0

total time range max height

2v sin v 2 sin2 v 2 sin2 
t  1 d x  1 d y  1
g g 2g

***Only use these for objects landing at the same height and g= +9.8m/s2

Example:
1. A golf ball is projected from ground level with a speed of 35m/s at an angle of 40° above
the horizontal. There is a tree 18m tall at a distance of 85m from the point of contact of the
ball. Air resistance is negligible.
a) Calculate the time of the object when it is just above the tree.
t = dx/vx
t = 85/35cos40
=3.17s = 3.2s

b) Determine if the ball will go over the tree. If yes, calculate how high over the tree the ball
will pass. (assume down is positive)

dy = v1yt + ½ at2
dy = (-35sin40)(3.17) + 1/2(9.8)(3.17)2
= -22m [D]
= 22m [up]

Yes, the ball clears the tree: 22-18= 4m

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SPH4U Projectile Motion

PROJECTILE MOTION EXIT CARD

Case III (Figure 3):


vi  
v iy vt

ϴ
 v ty

v ix v tx Figure 3

VARIABLE X-direction Y-direction

acceleration
Initial velocity
displacement
time

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SPH4U Projectile Motion

VARIABLE X-direction Y-direction

acceleration =0 9.8 m/s2 [down]
 
Initial velocity v ix = vi cosθ v iy = vi sinθ
displacement ∆dx ∆dy ≠ 0
time ∆t ∆t

Problem Solving Tips:

Use the same method as case II but remember that

v iy  0 AND ∆dy ≠0

2. (CASE III) At a height of 196 m from the ground, a ball is projected from a helicopter at a
velocity of 17.0 m/s [60.0 up from the horizontal plane].

(a) What are the x- and y-components of the ball’s initial velocity?
(b) Calculate when the ball will reach the ground.
(c) Where it will hit the ground.
(d) It’s velocity at the instant of impact.


(a) v i  17.0 m/s [60  up from the horizontal plan e] (see figures below)

vi

vi 
v iy
60

196 m
60

v ix

vix= vi cosθ = 17.0cos60.0 = 8.50 m/s [fwd]

viy = vi sin θ = 17.0sin60.0 = 14.7 m/s [up]

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SPH4U Projectile Motion

(b)
X-direction [fwd] Y-direction [up]
vix= 8.50 a = -9.8 m/s2
∆dx viy = 14.7 m/s
∆t vfy
∆dy = -196m
∆t

The ball will reach the ground when it is 196 m below its initial position.

i.e., when want to find t when dy = -196 m (let up be +)

dy  viy t 
1
a  t 
2

2
1
196  (14.7)t  ( 9.8)  t 
2  vt
2 v ty
196  14.7 t  4.9  t 
2 
v tx
4.9  t   14.7 t  196 
2

 t 2  3 t  40  0
(t -8)(t +5) = 0
NA (not applicable)
t = 8.0 s or -5.0 s
The ball will reach the ground after 8.0 s

(c) dx = ?
Since there is no acceleration in the x-direction, we use the constant velocity equation:
dx  v ix t  (8.5 m/s)(8.0 s) = 68 m
The ball hits the ground 68 m from the initial position (measured on the ground)

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SPH4U Projectile Motion

(d) What is the velocity of the ball just before it hits the ground?
v fx  8.5 m/s
v fy  ?
v fy  viy  at  14.7  ( 9.8)(8.0 )  63.7 m/s or 63.7 m [dow n]

 v fx 2   v fy 
2
vf   8.5 2  63.7 2  64.3 m/s

v fx
v fy 63.7 
tan     7.4941
v fx 8.5

  82  v fy
vf
vf = 64 m/s [R820D]

Projectile Motion LEARNING CHECK #6

You can launch a shotput at 5.0m/s and are trying to achieve the maximum distance to win an
Olympic medal. Enlist your class to help you determine the angle above the horizontal at which you
should launch the shotput.
Make a chart with these angles: 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90

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SPH4U Projectile Motion

Projectile Motion LEARNING CHECK #6

You can launch a shotput at 5.0m/s and are trying to achieve the maximum distance to win an
Olympic medal. Enlist your class to help you determine the angle above the horizontal at which you
should launch the shotput.
Make a chart with these angles: 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90

3. An airplane is moving horizontally with a constant velocity of 230 m/s at an altitude of

1050 m. The plane releases a package that free-falls to the ground along a curved
trajectory. Ignoring air resistance, determine
(a) The time required for the package to hit the ground. (Ans: 14.63 s)
(b) The x and y components of the final velocity. (Ans: vx = 230 m/s, vy = 143.37 m/s)
(c) The angle with which the package strikes the ground, measured with respect to the
horizontal. (Ans: 31.9)

http://www.upscale.utoronto.ca/GeneralInterest/Harrison/Flash/ClassMechanics/Projectile/
Projectile.html -- Projectile motion animation

http://www.upscale.utoronto.ca/GeneralInterest/Harrison/Flash/ClassMechanics/
MonkeyHunter/MonkeyHunter.html -- Monkey and the Hunter Animation

https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/projectile-motion/projectile-motion_en.html

http://www.walter-fendt.de/ph14e/projectile.htm

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