What is Projectile

Motion?
 Instructional Objectives:

• Students will be able to:

– Define Projectile Motion
– Distinguish between the different types of
projectile motion
What is projectile?
Projectile -Any object which projected by some
means and continues to move due to its own
inertia (mass).
Any moving object upon which the only active
force is gravity.
 Firing Angle (Ɵ theta) is measured in
degrees. It is the angle at which the projectile
left the cannon.
 Initial Velocity (Vi) is the angular speed of the
projectile at the start of its flight.
 Projectile Motion

• Two-dimensional motion of an object

– Vertical
– Horizontal
 Types of Projectile
Motion
• Horizontal
– Motion of a ball rolling freely along a
level surface
– Horizontal velocity is ALWAYS
constant
• Vertical
– Motion of a freely falling object
– Force due to gravity
– Vertical component of velocity
changes with time
• Parabolic
– Path traced by an object accelerating
only in the vertical direction while
moving at constant horizontal velocity
Projectiles move in TWO dimensions
Since a projectile
moves in 2-
dimensions, it
therefore has 2
components just
like a resultant
vector.
 Horizontal and

Vertical
Horizontal “Velocity” Component

 NEVER changes, covers equal displacements in

equal time periods. This means the initial
horizontal velocity equals the final horizontal
velocity

In other words, the horizontal

velocity is CONSTANT. BUT
WHY?

Gravity DOES NOT work

horizontally to increase or
decrease the velocity.
 OBJECTS LAUNCHED HORIZONTALLY
 If a projectile is launched horizontally, its
initial horizontal velocity is non-zero, but
the initial vertical velocity is zero. The
vertical acceleration is -9.8 m/s 2 and the
horizontal acceleration is zero. As the
projectile follows its trajectory, its
vertical velocity increases while its
horizontal velocity stays the same.
 OBJECTS LAUNCHED AT AN ANGLE
 If an object is thrown or bouncing, its vertical
velocity is bouncing, its vertical velocity is
positive as the object bounces up. Vertical
velocity is zero at the top of the path. Vertical
velocity is negative as the object falls
downward.
Vertical “Velocity” Component
 Changes (due to gravity), does NOT cover
equal displacements in equal time periods.

Both the MAGNITUDE and DIRECTION change. As

the projectile moves up the MAGNITUDE
DECREASES and its direction is UPWARD. As it
moves down the MAGNITUDE INCREASES and the
direction is DOWNWARD.
Vertically Launched Projectiles
There are several
things you must
consider when doing
these types of
projectiles besides
using components. If
it begins and ends at
ground level, the “y”
displacement is
ZERO: y = 0
 GRAVITY – tends to pull all the projectiles
toward the center of the earth.
 GRAVITATIONAL ACCELERATION – is the
constant describing the acceleration of any
object falling toward the earth.
-9.8 m/sec2
 Factors Affecting
Projectile Motion

• What two factors would affect projectile

motion?
– Angle
– Initial velocity

Initial Velocity

Angle