Projectile motion

Unit 1 – Topic 1 (mechanics)

 Learning Objectives

Specification point: (7) understand how to make use of the independence of vertical and horizontal motion
of a projectile moving freely under gravity

To be able to:
• Recognize that the vertical and horizontal motions of a projectile are independent.
• Describe the path of a projectile as a parabola.
• Resolve vectors into their components and apply the kinematic equations to solve problems involving
projectile motion.

Success criteria
Successfully………

 A – Completely solve complex projectile motion questions

 B – Apply the right kinematics equations for the appropriate component and correctly identify the
known and unknown quantities with the right signs

 C/D – Recognize that there are two components independent of each other & Resolve vectors
into their components using trigonometry
 Projectiles

What is a Projectile?

An object shot through the air is called a projectile. After the initial force the only force acting on the object is
gravity ( for these problems we will ignore air resistance.)

The path of a projectile is called the trajectory. The shape of the trajectory of a projectile is always a
parabola.
 Graphical representation

Have you ever thrown a ball vertically, high into the air?
After the ball has been released, as the pull of gravity takes effect, the ball slows down,
eventually stopping at the top of its motion and then falling back to Earth. If there was
no air resistance the displacement– time graph would look like the following.
Remember that this is a graph of vertical displacement against time, not the shape of
the path the ball makes in the air – which is called the trajectory. The ball is going
vertically up and then vertically down to land in the same spot from where it began.

A distance–time graph would look different, it gives similar

information but without the direction part of the displacement
and velocity vectors. Make sure that you understand the
difference between these graphs.
 Independence of Motion in Two dimensions

• Projectile motion is a combination of both the initial horizontal velocity and the accelerated vertical velocity.

• What is the only force acting on a projectile?

Gravity which causes accelerated vertical velocity.

Gravity acts vertically and not in the horizontal direction. This will be important when we combine the horizontal and
vertical motions later.

For horizontal motion:

• the horizontal velocity does not change

• the horizontal distance travelled is horizontal speed × time for the motion.
 Independence of Motion in Two dimensions

The speed in the x-direction is constant; in the y-direction the

object moves with constant acceleration g.
This photograph shows two balls that start to fall at the same time.
The one on the right has an initial speed in the x-direction.
It can be seen that vertical positions of the two balls are identical
at identical times, while the horizontal position of the yellow ball
increases linearly.
 Independence of Motion in Two dimensions

This proves that the two motions, horizontal and vertical, are completely
independent of each other. The horizontal speed continues unchanged (we
assumed no air resistance) while the vertical speed changes as gravity acts on the
ball. This independence allows a straightforward analysis of the motion.

The horizontal and the vertical parts of the motion can be split up and treated
separately and then recombined to answer questions about the velocity and the
displacement for the whole of the motion.

The position is summed up in the diagram. At two positions along the

trajectory, the separate components of velocity are shown and the
resultant (the actual velocity including its direction) is drawn.
 Projectiles Launched at an Angle

When a projectile is launched at an angle, the initial velocity has a vertical component as well as a horizontal component.

It rises with slowing speed, reaches the top of its path and then descends with increasing speed. At each point in the vertical
direction, the velocity of the object as it is moving upward has the same magnitude as when it is moving downward. The only
difference is that the directions of the two velocities are opposite.

• At the maximum height the vertical velocity is zero.

• At the maximum height the object has only horizontal velocity.

• The range is the horizontal distance the object travels.

• The flight time is how much time the projectile is in the air.

• How does the time to the maximum height compare to the time from the maximum height back to the ground?

The time to rise to maximum height is equal to the time to fall back down to the original height.

Therefore; Flight time equals twice the time to maximum height.

 Summary – an example

Consider a ball that is projected at an angle to the horizontal, as shown in the diagram. We can split the motion into three
parts, beginning, middle and end, and analyze the vectors representing displacement, velocity and time at each stage.
Note that since the path is symmetrical, the motion on the way down is the same as the way up.
 Horizontal components Summary – an example
Horizontal components

At A (time = 0) At B (time = t/2) At C (time = t)

Displacement = zero Displacement = R/2 Displacement = R
Velocity = v cos Velocity = v cos𝜃 Velocity = v cos
Acceleration = 0 Acceleration = 0 Acceleration = 0

Vertical components

At A At B At C
Displacement = zero Displacement = s Displacement = zero
Velocity = v sin Velocity = zero Velocity = -v sin
Acceleration = -g Acceleration = -g Acceleration = -g

We can see that the vertical motion is constant acceleration and the horizontal motion is constant velocity. We
can therefore use the suvat equations.
 Problem Solving Strategies – Motion in Two Dimensions

Projectile motion in two dimensions can be determined by breaking the problem into two connected one dimension problems.

• a.)Divide the projectile motion into a vertical motion problem and a horizontal motion problem.
 
• b.)The vertical motion of a projectile is exactly that of an object dropped or thrown straight up or straight down.
Gravity is the force that causes the vertical acceleration.

• c.)Analyzing the horizontal motion of a projectile is the same as solving a constant velocity problem. We will be
ignoring air resistance. All problems will be treated as if there is no air drag and therefore no horizontal acceleration.
 
• d.)Vertical and horizontal motion will share the variable of time. Solving for time in one dimension automatically
gives you time in another dimension.
 Equations of projectile motion
To solve projectile problems, resolve vectors into horizontal and vertical components, then apply the simpler one-
dimensional forms of the (suvat) equations for each component. .

REMEMBER:
• In the vertical direction, the acceleration ay will equal –g (–9.81 m/s2) because the only vertical component of
acceleration is free-fall acceleration.
• In the horizontal direction, the acceleration is zero, so the velocity is constant.

Equations of projectile motion

• The following equations can therefore be applied, depending on the known and unknown variables.

• x = horizontal displacement
x = vx t v
• vx = horizontal velocity ( x component )

• vy = vertical velocity ( y component )

vy = uy + gt vy2 = uy2 + 2gy • t = time
• uy = initial vertical velocity ( y component)
y = ( )t • y = vertical displacement
y = uyt + ½gt2 • g = acceleration of free fall
 Calculating max vertical height

• Step one: Choose which direction is positive, which direction is negative.

• Step two: Calculate the horizontal and vertical components.

• Step three: Choose equation from SUVAT (v2 = u2 + 2as​). Remember: Use vertical component of v for
this.
 Calculating horizontal range

• Step one: Choose which direction is positive, which is negative.

• Step two: Split into horizontal and vertical velocities.

• S = v cos θ, V = v sin θ.

• Step three: Work out the time taken to get to the maximum height and then x2 to get total time in air, using
SUVAT (v = u + at, t = (v – u)/a) Remember: you’re using vertical component for this one.

• Step four: Use v = s/t to calculate the range. Remember: you’re using horizontal component for this one.
 Worked example
Question

A tennis player hits a volley just above ground level, in a direction perpendicular to the net. The ball leaves her racquet at
8.2 ms-1 at an angle of 34° to the horizontal. Will the ball clear the net if it is 2.3 m away and 95 cm high at this point?

Answer

• Will the ball clear the net if it is 2.3 m away and 95 cm high at this point?

• We need to calculate the value of y at x = 2.3 m and determine whether or not it

is greater than 0.95 m.

• What are the relevant equations of motion?

8.2 ms-1
• x = v Xt

• y = uyt + ½gt2 0.95 m

First, use the x equation to calculate t when x is 2.3.
34°

2.3 m
 Worked example

• So the ball reaches x = 2.3 m when t = 0.34 s.

• Now substitute this value of t into the y equation to find y, and determine whether or not
it is greater than 0.95 m.

8.2 ms-1
• y = uyt + ½gt2

• y = ((8.2 × sin34°) × 0.34) + (½ × -9.81 × 0.342)

• y = 0.99 m 35°

2.3 m
So y is greater than 0.95 and the ball clears the net!
 Package drop

• The package follows a parabolic path and remains directly below the
plane at all times
• The vertical velocity changes (faster, faster)
• The horizontal velocity is constant!
 Projectile motion with air resistance

• we have ignored the fact that the air will resist the motion of the ball. The actual path of a ball including air resistance
is likely to be as shown in the diagram. Notice both the height and range are less. It is also no longer a parabola – the
way
down is steeper than the way up.

• While the effects of air resistance are very small for some projectiles, for others, the effects are large and complex. For
example, dimples on a golf ball reduce air resistance and maximize its range.
 Trajectories Depend upon the Viewer

Does the frame of reference change the perception of the projectile trajectory?

Yes, The path of the projectile, or its trajectory, depends upon who is viewing it.

Suppose you toss a ball up and catch it while riding in a bus. To you, the ball would seem to go straight up and straight
down. But an observer on the sidewalk would see the ball leave your hand, rise up, and return to your hand, but in
parabolic path because the bus would be moving, your hand also would be moving. The bus, your hand, and the ball
would all have the same horizontal velocity.
 Summary

Key Points

• The horizontal movement is totally independent of the vertical movement. ​

• That means that they don’t affect each other. ​

• The two movements are vector quantities, so they have a direction. ​

• The velocities are at 90o to each other. ​

• There is a resultant velocity from the two component velocities. 

• We can analyse the vertical movement using the equations of motion. 

 Worked example

Question

A boy standing on a balcony drops one ball and throws another with an initial horizontal velocity of 3
m/s. Which of the following statements about the horizontal and vertical motions of the balls is correct?
(Neglect air resistance.)

A. The balls fall with a constant vertical velocity and a constant horizontal acceleration.
B. The balls fall with a constant vertical velocity as well as a constant horizontal velocity.
C. The balls fall with a constant vertical acceleration and a constant horizontal velocity.
D. The balls fall with a constant vertical acceleration and an increasing horizontal velocity.
 Worked example

Answer

Answer: C

Reason: The vertical and horizontal motions of a projectile are

independent. The only force acting on the two balls is force due
to gravity. Because it acts in the vertical direction, the balls
accelerate in the vertical direction. The horizontal velocity
remains constant throughout the flight of the balls.
 Worked example

Question
Which of the following conditions is met when a projectile reaches its maximum height?

A. Vertical component of the velocity is zero.

B. Vertical component of the velocity is maximum.

C. Horizontal component of the velocity is maximum.

D. Acceleration in the vertical direction is zero.

 Worked example

Answer

Answer: A

Reason: The maximum height is the height at which the object stops its
upward motion and starts falling down, i.e. when the vertical
component of the velocity becomes zero.
 Worked example

Question

Suppose you toss a ball up and catch it while riding in a bus. Why does the ball fall in your
hands rather than falling at the place where you tossed it?
 Worked example

Answer

Trajectory depends on the frame of reference.

For an observer on the ground, when the bus is moving, your hand is also moving with the same velocity
as the bus, i.e. the bus, your hand, and the ball will have the same horizontal velocity. Therefore, the ball
will follow a trajectory and fall back in your hands.
 Worked example
A ball is thrown at an angle of 30° to the horizontal at a speed of 20 m. Calculate its range and the maximum
Question
height reached.

• First, as always, draw a diagram, including labels defining all the quantities known and unknown
Answer

• Now we need to find the time of flight. If we apply s = ut + ½ a to the whole flight we get

= = 2.0s
• We can now apply s = vt to the whole flight to find the range:

• Finally to find the height, we use s = ut + ½ a to the vertical motion, but

remember, this is only half the complete flight so the time is 1 s.

= 20 x sin30 x 1 - x 10 x = 10 -5 = 5m
 Worked example
Question

A ball is thrown horizontally from a cliff top with a horizontal speed of 10 m. If the cliff is 20 m high what is the range of
the ball?

Answer • This is an easy one since there aren’t any angles to deal with. The initial vertical
component of the velocity is zero and the horizontal component is 10 m. To calculate the
time of flight we apply s = ut + ½ a to the vertical component. Knowing that the final
displacement is -20 m this gives

• = 2.0s

We can now use this value to find the range by applying the formula s = vt to the horizontal
component: R =10 x 2 = 20 m
 Worked example

Question

An arrow is fired horizontally from the top of a tower 35 m above the ground. The initial horizontal
speed is 30 m. Assume that air resistance is negligible.

Calculate:
a) the time for which the arrow is in the air

b) the distance from the foot of the tower at which the arrow strikes the ground

c) the velocity at which the arrow strikes the ground.

 Worked example

Answer

a) The time taken to reach the ground depends on the vertical motion of the arrow.
At the instant when the arrow is fired, the vertical speed is zero. The time to reach
the ground can be found using s = ut + ½ a

• , so t = 2.67 s
 Worked example

Answer
b) The distance from the foot of the tower depends only on the horizontal speed.

s = ut = 30 × 2.67 = 80.1 m = 80 m

c) To calculate the velocity, the horizontal and vertical components are required. The horizontal
component remains at 30 m s–1. The vertical speed is calculated using v = u + at and is
0 + 9.8 × 2.67 = 26.2 mThe speed is = 39.8 m s–1 which rounds to 40 m.

The angle at which the arrow strikes the ground is tan = 41°
 Success Criteria

Which grade are you on?

Successfully………

 A – completely Solve complex projectile motion questions

 B – Apply the right kinematics equations for the appropriate component and correctly
identify the known and unknown quantities with the right signs

 C/D – Recognize that there are two components independent of each other & Resolve
vectors into their components using trigonometry
Past paper
Q&A
Question 1
Answer 1
Question 2
Answer 2
Question 3
Question 4
Question 5
Answer 3,4&5
Question 6
Answer 6
Question 7
Answer 7
Question 8
Answer 8
Question 9
Answer 9
Question 10
Answer 10
Question 11
Answer 11
Question 12
Answer 12
Question 13
Question 14
Answer 13&14
Question 15
Answer 15
Question 16
Answer 16
Question 17
Answer 17
Question 18
Question 19
Question 20
Question 18,19&20
Question 21
Answer 21
Question 22
Question 23
Answer 22&23
Question 24
Answer 24
Question 25
Answer 25
Question 26
Answer 26
Question 27
Answer 27
Question 28
Answer 28