Physics Grade 11

Projectile Motion
1. The diagram below shows the path of a projectile in the absence of air resistance.

V e rtic a l
p o s itio n

H o riz o n ta l p o s itio n

Which one of the following diagrams best represents the path of the projectile under the same
initial conditions when the air resistance is taken into account? (The path in absence of air
resistance is shown for comparison as a dotted line.)

A . V e rtic a l B. V e rtic a l
p o s itio n p o s itio n

H o riz o n ta l p o s itio n H o riz o n ta l p o s itio n

C. V e rtic a l D . V e rtic a l
p o s itio n p o s itio n

H o riz o n ta l p o s itio n H o riz o n ta l p o s itio n

(1)

1
2. A stone is thrown from O at an angle to the horizontal. Which sketch below best shows the path
of the stone when air resistance is not neglected? On each sketch, the broken line shows the
path for the same stone in a vacuum.

A . B.

O O

C. D .

O O
(1)

3. Which one of the following is a true statement concerning the vertical component of the
velocity and the acceleration of a projectile when it is at its maximum height? (The acceleration
of free fall is g.)

Vertical component of velocity Acceleration

A. maximum zero
B. maximum g
C. zero zero
D. zero g
(1)

2
4. This question is about projectile motion.

A small steel ball is projected horizontally from the edge of a bench. Flash photographs of the
ball are taken at 0.10 s intervals. The resulting images are shown against a scale as in the
diagram below.

d is ta n c e / c m
0 20 40 60 80 100
0

20

40

60

d is ta n c e / c m

80

100

120

140

(a) Use the diagram to determine

(i) the constant horizontal speed of the ball.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

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 (ii) the acceleration of free fall.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

(b) Mark on the diagram the position of the ball 0.50 s after projection.

In the space below, you should carry out any calculations so that you can accurately
position the ball.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

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(3)

(c) A second ball is projected from the bench at the same speed as the original ball. The ball
has small mass so that air resistance cannot be neglected. Draw on the diagram the
approximate shape of the path you would expect the ball to take.
(3)
(Total 10 marks)

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5. A ball is thrown horizontally from the top of a cliff. Air resistance is negligible. Which of the
following diagrams best represents the subsequent path of the ball?

A . B .

C. D .

(1)

6. This question is about trajectory motion.

Antonia stands at the edge of a vertical cliff and throws a stone upwards at an angle of 60° to
the horizontal.

v = 8 .0 m s –1

60°

S ea

5
 –1
The stone leaves Antonia’s hand with a speed v = 8.0 m s . The time between the stone leaving
Antonia’s hand and hitting the sea is 3.0 s.
–2
The acceleration of free fall g is 10 m s and all distance measurements are taken from the
point where the stone leaves Antonia’s hand.

Ignoring air resistance calculate

(a) the maximum height reached by the stone.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

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(3)

(b) the horizontal distance travelled by the stone.

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.....................................................................................................................................

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(2)
(Total 5 marks)

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7. A boy throws a small stone at an angle to the horizontal.

Which one of the following sketches best shows the path of the stone as it rises and then falls
back to Earth? Air resistance is negligible and the acceleration of free fall is constant.

A . B .

C . D .

(1)

8. A stone is thrown at an angle to the horizontal. Ignoring air resistance, the horizontal component
of the initial velocity of the stone determines the value of

A. range only.

B. maximum height only.

C. range and maximum height.

D. range and time of flight.

(1)

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9. This question is about projectile motion.

A stone is thrown horizontally from the top of a vertical cliff of height 33 m as shown below.
–1
18 m s

33 m

s e a le v e l

–1
The initial horizontal velocity of the stone is 18 m s and air resistance may be assumed to be
negligible.

(a) State values for the horizontal and for the vertical acceleration of the stone.

Horizontal acceleration: ............................................................................................

Vertical acceleration: ................................................................................................

(2)

(b) Determine the time taken for the stone to reach sea level.

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................
(2)

(c) Calculate the distance of the stone from the base of the cliff when it reaches sea level.

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................
(1)
(Total 5 marks)

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10. A stone is projected horizontally from the top of a cliff. Neglecting air resistance, which one of
the following correctly describes what happens to the horizontal component of velocity and to
the vertical component of velocity?

9
 Horizontal component of velocity Vertical component of velocity

A. Decreases Increases

B. Decreases Constant

C. Constant Constant

D. Constant Increases
(1)

11. This question is about projectile motion.

–1
A stone of mass 0.44 kg is thrown horizontally from the top of a cliff with a speed of 22 m s
as shown below.

2 2 m s–1

32 m c liff

s e a le v e l

The cliff is 32 m high.

(a) Calculate the total kinetic energy of the stone at sea level assuming air resistance is
negligible.

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................
(3)

(b) In practice, air resistance is not negligible. During the motion of the stone from the top of
the cliff to sea level, 34 of the total energy of the stone is transferred due to air

10
 resistance. Determine the speed at which the stone reaches sea level.

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 5 marks)

12. This question is about the trajectory of a golf ball.

A golfer hits a golf ball at point A on a golf course. The ball lands at point D as shown on the
diagram. Points A and D are on the same horizontal level.

–1
30m s

–1
20m s
A D
–1
The initial horizontal component of the velocity of the ball is 20 m s and the initial vertical
–1
component is 30 m s . The time of flight of the golf ball between point A and point D is 6.0 s.
–2
Air resistance is negligible and the acceleration of free fall g = 10 m s .

Calculate

(a) the maximum height reached by the golf ball.

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................
(3)

11
 (b) the range of the golf ball.

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 5 marks)

13. A stone is thrown with speed v from the top of a cliff of height H, as shown below.

h
v

c liff

sea

The stone is thrown at an angle to the horizontal so that it rises to a height h above the top of the
cliff before falling into the sea. The acceleration of free fall is g. Air resistance is negligible.

Which one of the following expressions gives correctly the speed of the stone as it hits the sea?

A.
v  2 gh 

B.
v  2 gH 

C.
 2g h  H  

D.
v 2
 2 gH 
(1)

14. This question is about projectile motion.

12
 –1
A stone is projected horizontally from the top of a cliff with a speed 15 m s .

1 5 m s–1

70 m

sea
–2
The height of the cliff is 70 m and the acceleration of free fall is 10 m s . The stone strikes the
surface of the sea at velocity V.

–1
(a) Ignoring air resistance, deduce that the stone strikes the sea at a speed of 40 m s .

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................
(2)

(b) Use your answer in (a) to calculate the angle that the velocity V makes with the surface of
the sea.

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 4 marks)

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15. A ball rolls off a horizontal table with velocity v. It lands on the ground a time T later at a
distance D from the foot of the table as shown in the diagram below. Air resistance is negligible.

ta b le

A second heavier ball rolls off the table with velocity v. Which one of the following is correct
for the heavier ball?

Time to land Distance from table

A. T D

B. T less than D

C. less than T D

D. less than T less than D

(1)

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16. A projectile is fired from the ground at time t = 0. It lands back on the ground at time t = T.
Which of the following sketch graphs best shows the variation with time t of the vertical speed
VV and horizontal speed VH of the projectile? Air resistance is negligible.

A . B. VH
VH
speed speed

VV
VV

0 0
0 T t 0 T t
C . D .

speed speed

VH
VV VH
VV

0 0
0 T t 0 T t
(1)

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17. This question is about projectile motion.
–1
A ball is projected from ground level with a speed of 28 m s at an angle of 30 to the
horizontal as shown below.

w a ll h
30
16m

There is a wall of height h at a distance of 16 m from the point of projection of the ball. Air
resistance is negligible.

(a) Calculate the initial magnitudes of

(i) the horizontal velocity of the ball;

.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................

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.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) the vertical velocity of the ball.

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.........................................................................................................................
(1)

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 (b) The ball just passes over the wall. Determine the maximum height of the wall.

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(3)
(Total 5 marks)

18. Two identical metal spheres X and Y are released at the same time from the same height above
the horizontal ground. Sphere X falls vertically from rest. Sphere Y is projected horizontally as
shown below.

X Y

g ro u n d

Air resistance is negligible.

Which of the following statements is correct?

A. Sphere X hits the ground before sphere Y because it travels a shorter distance.

B. Sphere Y hits the ground before sphere X because its initial velocity is greater.

C. The spheres hit the ground at the same time because horizontal motion does not affect
vertical motion.

D. The spheres hit the ground at the same time because they have equal weights.
(1)

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19. This question is about projectile motion.

The barrel of a rifle is held at an angle  to the horizontal. A bullet fired from the rifle leaves the
–1
barrel at time t = 0 with a speed 200 m s . The graph below shows the variation with time t of
the vertical height h of the bullet.

600

500

400

h / m 300

200

100

0
0 5 10 15 20 25
t / s

(a) Using the axes below, draw a sketch graph to show the variation of h with the horizontal
distance x travelled by the bullet. (Note: this is a sketch graph; you do not have to add
any values to the axes.)

x
(2)

(b) State the expression for the initial vertical component of speed Vv in terms of the initial
speed of the bullet and the angle .

...................................................................................................................................
(1)

(c) Use data from the graph to deduce that the angle  = 30. (The acceleration for free fall
18
 –2
g = 10 m s )

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...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................

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(3)
(Total 6 marks)

20. A particle is projected horizontally with speed v from a height H. It lands a horizontal distance
R from the point of launch as shown in the diagram below.
v

A second particle is projected horizontally from the same height with speed 2v. Neglecting air
resistance the horizontal distance travelled by this particle is

A. R.

B. 2R.

C. 2R.

D. 4R.
(1)

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21. This question is about projectile motion.

A ball is kicked at an angle to the horizontal. The diagram below shows the position of the ball
every 0.50 s.

30

25

20

v e rtic a l d is p la c e m e n t / m 15

10

0
0 10 20 30 40
h o riz o n ta l d is p la c e m e n t / m

–2
The acceleration of free fall is g = 10 m s . Air resistance may be neglected.

(a) Using the diagram determine, for the ball

(i) the horizontal component of the initial velocity.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) the vertical component of the initial velocity.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

20
 (iii) the magnitude of the displacement after 3.0 s.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

(b) On the diagram above draw a line to indicate a possible path for the ball if air resistance
were not negligible.
(2)
(Total 7 marks)

22. A stone is thrown from the top of a cliff with speed v at an angle θ above the horizontal, as
shown.

c liff

Air resistance is negligible and the acceleration of free fall is g.

What is the horizontal velocity of the stone a time t after the stone has been thrown?

A. v sinθ

B. v sinθ – gt

C. v cosθ

D. v cosθ – gt
(1)

21
23. This question is about projectile motion.

A stone is thrown from the top of a cliff of height 28 m above the sea. The stone is thrown at a
–1
speed of 14 m s at an angle above the horizontal. Air resistance is negligible.

1 4 m s–1

...........
28m

sea

The maximum height reached by the stone measured from the point from which it is thrown is
8.0 m.

(a) By considering the energy of the stone, determine the speed with which the stone hits the
sea.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(3)

22
(b) The stone leaves the cliff at time t = 0. It reaches its maximum height at t = TH. On the
axis below, draw a sketch-graph to show the variation with time t of the magnitude of the
vertical component of velocity of the stone from t = 0 to t = TS, the time just before the
stone strikes the sea.

speed

0 t
0
T H T S
(4)
(Total 7 marks)

23
24. This question is about projectile motion.

A projectile is fired horizontally from the top of a vertical cliff of height 40 m.

p ro je c tile

c liff

40 m

sea

At any instant of time, the vertical distance fallen by the projectile is d. The graph below shows
the variation with distance d, of the kinetic energy per unit mass E of the projectile.

1400

1300

1200

E / J kg –1 11 0 0

1000

900

800
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
d /m

24
(a) Use data from the graph to calculate, for the projectile,

(i) the initial horizontal speed.

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) the speed with which it hits the sea.

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(b) Use your answers to (a) to calculate the magnitude of the vertical component of velocity
with which the projectile hits the sea.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 4 marks)

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25. The diagram below shows the trajectory of a ball thrown into the air. There is no air resistance.

tra je c to ry o f b a ll
X
A B

C
D

Which arrow gives the direction of the resultant force on the ball at the point X?

A. A

B. B

C. C

D. D
(1)

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26. This question is about throwing a stone from a cliff.

Antonia stands at the edge of a vertical cliff and throws a stone vertically upwards.

–1
The stone leaves Antonia’s hand with a speed v =8.0 m s . Ignore air resistance, the
–2
acceleration of free fall g is 10 m s and all distance measurements are taken from the point
where the stone leaves Antonia’s hand.

(a) Determine,

(i) the maximum height reached by the stone.

.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................
(2)

(ii) the time taken by the stone to reach its maximum height.

.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................
(1)

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(b) The time between the stone leaving Antonia’s hand and hitting the sea is 3.0 s. Determine
the height of the cliff.

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................
(3)
(Total 6 marks)

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