Projectile Motion

Terminology:
 ACCELERATION:
A change in velocity over a given time period.
 AERODYNAMIC:
Relating to airflow.
 BALLISTICS:
The study of projectile motion.
 DRAG:
The force that opposes the forward motion of an object in airflow.
In most cases, its opposite is lift.
 FIRST LAW OF MOTION:
A principle, formulated by Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727), which
states that an object at rest will remain at rest, and an object in motion
will remain in motion, at a constant velocity unless or until outside
forces act upon it.
 FRICTION:
Any force that resists the motion of body in relation to another with
which it is in contact.
 INERTIA:
The tendency of an object in motion to remain in motion, and of an
object at rest to remain at rest.
 LAMINAR:
A term describing a streamlined flow, in which all particles move at
the same speed and in the same direction. Its opposite is turbulent flow.
 LIFT:
An aerodynamic force perpendicular to the direction of the wind. In most cases, its opposite
is drag.
 MASS:
A measure of inertia, indicating the resistance of an object to a change in its motion—
including a change in velocity.
 PARABOLA:
A curve generated by a point moving such that its distance from a fixed point on one axis is
equal to its distance from a fixed line on the other axis. As a result, between any two points on the
parabola there is a proportional relationship between x and y values.
 PROJECTILE:
Any object that has been thrown, shot, or launched.
 SPECIFIC IMPULSE:
A measure of rocket fuel efficiency—specifically, the mass that can be lifted by a particular
type of fuel for each pound of fuel consumer (that is, the rocket and its contents) per second of
operation time. Figures for specific impulse are rendered in seconds.
 SPEED:
The rate at which the position of an object changes over a given
period of time. Unlike velocity, direction is not a component of speed.
 THIRD LAW OF MOTION:
A principle, which like the first law of motion was formulated by
Sir Isaac Newton. The third law states that when one object exerts a
force on another, the second object exerts on the first a force equal in
magnitude but opposite in direction.
 TRAJECTORY:
The path of a projectile in motion, a parabola upward and across
space.
 TURBULENT:
A term describing a highly irregular form of flow, in
which a fluid is subject to continual changes in speed and
direction. Its opposite is laminar flow.
 VELOCITY:
The speed of an object in a particular direction.
 VISCOSITY:
The internal friction in a fluid that makes it resistant to
flow.
 Projectiles move in two dimensions

 Therefore it has 2
components just
like a resultant
vector
 Horizontally launched projectiles:

 A plane traveling with a horizontal velocity of 100 m/s is 500 m

above the ground. At some point the pilot decides to drop some
supplies to designated target below.
a. how long is the drop on the air?
b. how far away from point where it was launched will it
land?
A plane traveling with a horizontal velocity of 100 m/s is
500 m above the ground. At some point the pilot decides
to drop some supplies to designated target below.

What do I know? What I want to know?

Vox = 100 m/s t =?

Y = 500 m x=?
Voy = 0 m/s
g = -9.8 m/s2
a. How long is the drop in the air?

2
y = ½ gt

t = 10.1 seconds
b. How far away from point where it was
launched will it land?

x = v0x t

x = 1010 m