Projectile Motion:

Projectile Motion Launched at an

Angle
Trajectory:
the path followed by a projectile flying or an object
moving under the action of given forces.

Projectile:
an object undergoing projectile motion
DEFINITION OF
PROJECTILE MOTION
In a Projectile Motion, there are two simultaneous
independent rectilinear motions: Along the x-axis: uniform
velocity, responsible for the horizontal (forward) motion of the
particle. Along the y-axis: uniform acceleration, responsible
for the vertical (downwards) motion of the particle.
The Horizontal component of projectile motion has
the acceleration equal to zero since the velocity is
constant

The Vertical component of acceleration is constant

which is acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s2)
Projectile Motion is the combination of horizontal
motion with constant velocity and vertical motion
with constant acceleration.
Horizontal velocity (Vx) is a still
constant while the Vertical velocity
(Vy) can be described in three parts
1. As the projectile rises from point
A to point B the vertical velocity
(Vy) is decreasing because the
direction of gravity is opposite to
the projectile motion.
2. As the projectile reaches the
maximum height (B) it momentarily
stops causing a vertical velocity
equal to zero. (Vy=0)
3. When the projectile returns back
to the ground from point B to C it
agrees to the direction of
gravitational force hence vertical
velocity is increasing.
VARIABLES INVOLVED IN
PROJECTILE LAUNCHED AT AN
ANGLE
HORIZONTAL COMPONENT (X)
01 dx= horizontal displacement
02 Vx= horizontal velocity
03 Vix= horizontal initial velocity
04 Vfx= horizontal final velocity
05 ax= horizontal acceleration
06 Tt= total time
 VERTICAL COMPONENT (Y)
01 dy= vertical displacement
02 Vy= vertical velocity
03 Viy= vertical initial velocity
04 Vfy= vertical final velocity
05 ay= vertical acceleration

06 g= acceleration due to gravity

=9.8m/s2
EQUATIONS FOR PROJECTILE
LAUNCHED AT AN ANGLE
The maximum range is achieved if the projectile is
fired at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the
horizontal component while an object launched at 30
degrees will also be the same if it is launched at 60
degrees.
The angles 30 and 60 degrees are called
complementary angles because they add up to
90degrees
As the angle of launch increases, the vertical
displacement of the projectile will also increase. At
the highest point, the vertical component of velocity
is zero and the time to reach the maximum height is
half of the total time of the flight