Projectile motion

University of Technology
Electrical Engineer
Second stage

Projectile motion

Under the supervision of Dr. Ali Hasan

Preparation Ali Khalid Raheem

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Projectile motion

Projectile Motion:
When a particle is thrown obliquely near the earth’s surface, it moves along a curved path under
constant acceleration that is directed towards the center of the earth (we assume that the particle
remains close to the surface of the earth). The path of such a particle is called a projectile and the
motion is called projectile motion. Air resistance to the motion of the body is to be assumed absent
in projectile motion.
In a Projectile Motion, there are two simultaneous independent rectilinear motions:

1. Along the x-axis: uniform velocity, responsible for the horizontal (forward) motion of the
particle.
2. Along y-axis: uniform acceleration, responsible for the vertical (downwards) motion of the
particle.

Accelerations in the horizontal projectile motion and vertical projectile motion of a

particle: When a particle is projected in the air with some speed, the only force acting on it during
its time in the air is the acceleration due to gravity (g). This acceleration acts vertically downward.
There is no acceleration in the horizontal direction, which means that the velocity of the particle in
the horizontal direction remains constant.

Parabolic Motion of Projectiles

Let us consider a ball projected at an angle θ with respect to the horizontal x-axis with the initial
velocity u as shown below:

The point O is called the point of projection; θ is the angle of projection and OB = Horizontal
Range or Simply Range. The total time taken by the particle from reaching O to B is called the time
of flight.
For finding different parameters related to
projectile motion, we can make use of
differential equations of motions

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Projectile motion

Total Time of Flight: Resultant displacement (s) = 0 in Vertical direction. Therefore, by using
the Equation of motion:
gt2 = 2(uyt – sy) [Here, uy = u sin θ and sy = 0]
i.e. gt2 = 2t × u sin θ
Therefore, the total time of flight (t):

Total Time of Flight (t)=

Horizontal Range: Horizontal Range (OA) = Horizontal component of velocity (ux) × Total Flight
Time (t)
R = u cos θ × 2u×sinθg
Therefore, in a projectile motion the Horizontal Range is given by (R):

Horizontal Range (R) =

Maximum Height: It is the highest point of the trajectory (point A). When the ball is at point A, the
vertical component of the velocity will be zero. i.e. 0 = (u sin θ)2 – 2g Hmax [s = Hmax , v = 0 and
u = u sin θ]
Therefore, in projectile motion, the Maximum Height is given by (Hmax):

Maximum Height (Hmax)=

The equation of Trajectory: Let, the position of the ball at any instant (t) be M (x, y). Now, from
Equations of Motion:
x = t × u cos θ . . . . . . (1)
y = u sin θ × t – 12×t2g. . . . . . (2)
On substituting Equation (1) in Equation (2):

Equation of Trajectory(y)=

This is the Equation of Trajectory in projectile motion, and it proves that the projectile motion is
always parabolic in nature.

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Projectile motion

References:

1) Naylor, R. H. "Galileo's Theory of Projectile Motion", Isis, Vol. 71. 1980. 550-570. �

2) Drake, S., and J. MacLachlan. "Galileo's Discovery of the Parabolic Trajectory".

Scientific American, Vol. 232, No. 3. 1975. 102-110.

3) Hall, A.R. Ballistics in the Seventeenth Century. Cambridge UP, Birmingham.

1952.