13.

2ModelingProjectileMotion

Toderiveequationsforprojectilemotion,weassumethattheprojectileismovingalonginavertical
planeandthattheonlyforceactingontheprojectileistheconstantforceofgravity,whichalways
pointsstraightdownward.

Weassumethattheprojectileislaunchedfromtheoriginattimet=0intothefirstquadrantwithan
initialvelocity .If makesanangle withthehorizontalandtheinitialspeedoftheprojectileis
| |,then
and 0
ByNewtonsSecondLawofMotion ,so

Integratingtwiceandusingthefactthat 0 and 0 0,weget
1

2
1
0
2
1

2

IdealProjectileMotionEquation
1

2

Theangle istheprojectileslaunchangle.Thehorizontalandverticalcomponentsofpositiongivethe
parametricequations
and
Wherexisthedistancedownrangeandyisaltitudeoftheprojectileattimet.

Height,FlightTime,andRange
Theprojectilereachesitshighestpointwhenitsverticalvelocityiszero,thatis,when
dy v sin
v0 sin gt 0 or t 0
dt g
Forthisvalueoftime,thealtitudeoftheprojectileis
1 v0 sin v0 sin
2 2
v sin
ymax v0 sin 0 g
g 2 g 2g
Tofindwhentheprojectilelandswhenfiredoverhorizontalground,wesettheverticalcomponent
equaltozeroandsolvefort.
1
gt 2 v0 sin t 0
2
1
t gt v0 sin 0
2
1
t 0 or gt v0 sin 0
2
1
t 0 or gt v0 sin
2
2v sin
t 0 or t 0
g
2v0 sin
Tofindtheprojectilesrange,wefindthevalueofthehorizontalcomponentwhen t
g
2v sin v02 2sin cos v02 sin 2
x v0 cos t v0 cos 0
g g g
Therangeislargestwhen sin 2 1 or when 2 90 , or 45
0 0

Height,FlightTime,andRangeforIdealMotion.
Foridealprojectilemotionwhenanobjectislaunchedfromtheoriginoverahorizontalsurface
withinitialspeed v0 andlaunchangle :

v sin
2
MaximumHeight ymax 0
2g
2v0 sin
FlightTime t
g

v 2 sin 2
x 0
Range

Examples:
1.Findthemuzzlespeedofagunwhosemaximumrangeis24.5km.
Solution:Sincethisthemaximumrange,weknowthelaunchangleis 45 .Weusetheexpression
forrange:
v02 sin 2
x where g 9.8 m
g sec2

24500

v02 sin 2 450
9.8

24500

v02 sin 900
9.8
2
v
24500 0

9.8
v0 240,100
2

v0 240,100 490 m
s

2.Abaseballisthrownfromthestands32ftabovethefieldatanangleof300fromthehorizontal.
Whenandhowfarawaywilltheballstrikethegroundifitsinitialspeedis32ft/sec.
Solution:
1

2
1
sin
2
1
32 32 30 32 sin 30 32
2
16 163 16 32
163 16 16 32
Thebaseballwillstrikethegroundwhentheverticalcomponentofpositioniszero,thatis,when
16t 2 16t 32 0

16 t 2 t 2 0

16 t 2 t 1 0
when t 2 seconds
Therangewillbe
x 16 3t

16 3 2
55.4 ft

3.Aspringgunatgroundlevelfiresagolfballatanangleof450.Theballlands10maway.
a)Whatwastheballsinitialspeed?
b)Forthesameinitialspeed,findthetwofiringanglesthatmaketherange6m.
Solution:
v02 sin 2
x
g

10
v02 sin 2 450
9.8
2
v 0
10
9.8
v02 980
v0 980 31.3 m
s
b)
v02 sin 2
x
g
980sin 2
6
9.8
10sin 2 6
3
sin 2
5
2 sin 1 3 5
2 36.870 and its supplement 1800 36.870 143.130
so 18.40 or 71.60

4.Agolfballishitwithaninitialvelocityof116ft/secatanangleofelevationof450fromtheteetoa
greenthatiselevated45ftabovethetee.Assumingthepin,369ftdownrange,doesnotinterferewith
theflightoftheball,wherewilltheballlandinrelationtothepin?
Solution:Weneedtodeterminewhentheelevationoftheballis45ft.Whenthishappens,ontheway
down,theballwillbeonthegreen.
1

2

1
2

32 t 2 116sin 450 t 45
16t 2 82.02t 45 0
Usingthequadraticformula

 b b 2 4ac
t
2a

82.02 82.022 4( 16)(45)
t
2 16
t 0.624 sec or t 4.5sec
Theballwillbealoftfor4.5seconds.Theballwillhavetraveled

116 cos 45 4.5
369.11feetor0.11feetfromthepin.

5.Abaseballishitwhenitis2.5ftabovetheground.Itleavesthebatwithaninitialvelocityof145
ft/secatalaunchangleof230.Attheinstanttheballishit,aninstantaneousgustofwindblowsagainst
thebaseball,addingacomponentof 14 / tothebaseballsinitialvelocity.A15fthighfence
lies300ftfromhomeplateinthedirectionoftheflight.
a)Findavectorequationforthepathofthebaseball.
b)Howhighdoesthebaseballgo,andwhendoesitreachitsmaximumheight?
c)Findtherangeandflighttimeofthebaseball,assumingtheballisnotcaught.
d)Didthebatterhitahomerun?
Solution
where 14 145 cos 23 145 sin 23 2.5
32 14 145 cos 23 145 sin 23 2.5
16 119.47 56.66 2.5
119.47 16 56.66 2.5
b)Thebaseballwillreachitsmaximumheightwhentheverticalcomponentofthevelocityiszero.
32t 56.66 0
56.66
t 1.771sec
32
ymax 16 1.771 56.66 1.771 2.5
2

52.66 ft
c)Therangeofthebaseballoccurswhentheverticalcomponentofitspositioniszero.
16 56.66 2.5 0
Usingthequadraticformula,wegett=3.585secfortheflighttimeand
x 119.47t

119.47(3.585) 428.3 ft
Fortherange.
d)Thebatterwouldhavehitahomerun,providedthebaseballclearsthefence.Todeterminethis,we
findthetimethebaseballisintheairwhentheverticalcomponentisequaltotheheightofthefence.
 16 56.66 2.5 15
Usingthequadraticformula,wegett=3.3sec.Andatthistime,thebaseballshorizontalcomponentof
positionis
x 119.47t

119.47(3.3) 394 ft
Yes,thebatterhitahomerun