PROJECTILE MOTION:

Definition: Projectile motion is the motion of a body which after being

given an initial velocity, it moves freely under gravity.

Examples of projectile motion:

i. Kicked football
ii. Luggage released from an airplane
iii. Missile fired by tanks
iv. Watering a garden
v. Fire extinguishing by fire rescue forces

Figure: Motion of a kicked ball

DEFINITIONS OF TERMS:
1. Projectile:
Projectile is the body which after being given an initial velocity, it
moves freely under αgravity.

2. Trajectory
Trajectory is the path followed by projectile

3. Angle of projection(Ө)
Angle of projection is the angle to the horizontal at which a
projectile is thrown

4. Velocity of projection/initial velocity (Uo)

Velocity of projection is the velocity at which a projectile is
fired.

Normally a projectile motion is made up of two motions which are: - Figure: Definitions of Terms in
a. Horizontal motion Projectile
b. Vertical motion

HORIZONTAL MOTION:
Since acceleration due to gravity acts vertically downwards, its value in the
horizontal direction becomes zero (0).

Then, horizontal acceleration:

Horizontal component of velocity,

Horizontal component of velocity after time, t (Vx)

From,
Then,

Thus,

Thus, horizontal component of velocity remains the same (constant.)

Horizontal distance covered after time, t (x)
From,
Then,
Thus,

VERTICAL MOTION:
Since the body is projected vertically upwards against acceleration due to gravity, then the vertical acceleration
becomes negative gravity, that is

Vertical acceleration:

Initial vertical component of velocity,

Vertical component of velocity after time, t (Vy):

From,
Then,

Thus, Vy = UosinӨ - gt

Vertical distance covered after time, t (y)

From,
Then,
Thus,

POSITION OF THE PROJECTILE AFTER TIME, t

P = (x, y)

DIRECTION OF THE PROJECTILE AFTER TIME, t (α):

To the horizontal

VELOCITY OF PROJECTILE AFTER TIME, t (V)

But, and
Then,
Thus,

EXAMPLE Projectile Motion:

A ball is kicked with a muzzle velocity of 60m/s at 60o to the horizontal. Calculate: -
(a) Initial horizontal and vertical components of velocity
(b) Velocity of the ball and its direction 10 seconds after it was kicked.
(c) Find position of the ball 10s after it was kicked.
Solution:
(a) Initial horizontal and vertical components:
From,
Again from,

(b) Velocity of the ball and its direction 10 seconds after it was kicked:
From,
But,
And
Then,

Direction of the ball:

(c) Position of the ball 10 seconds after it was kicked: P(x,y)

From,
Again from, – –
Thus, position, P(x, y) = (300 m, 19.6 m)

Time to Reach Maximum Height, Tmax and Time of Flight, T

Case I: Time to reach maximum height, Tmax:

What you need to understand here is when we talk of maximum height
of projectile motion is a point at which projectile changed its motion
from going upwards into going downwards. For this to happen, vertical
component of velocity of projectile must be zero.

Therefore, we can conclude that maximum height is characterized by zero vertical component of velocity.

Mathematically, at maximum height,

Now, from
For maximum height, and
Then,

Thus,

Case II: Time of flight, T:

Definition: Time of flight is the time taken by projectile to move between two points which are at the same
height.
What you need to understand here is that when the origin and destination point are at the same level, then
vertical displacement is simply zero (no relative distance between origin and destination).
From, –
For time of flight, and
Then, –

Thus,

Relationship between Time to reach Maximum Height and Time of Flight:

From,

And,

Then,

Thus,

Maximum Height, H and Range of a Projectile, R:

Case I: Maximum height, H

Maximum height is the vertical displacement attained by the projectile when time is equal to time to reach
maximum height.
Now from, –
Since then

Then, –

Thus,
Case II: Range, R:
Definition: Range of a projectile is the horizontal distance covered by a projectile between two points which
are at the same height.
Range of a projectile is attained when time is equal to time of flight.
Now from,
For, then

Then,
But,

Thus,

Relationship between Maximum Height and Range of a Projectile:

From, and

Then,
Since,
Then,

Thus,

Maximum Range of a Projectile, Rmax:

When angle of projection is increased the range of a projectile also
increases until when the angle of projection reaches 45o.
Beyond 45o range starts to decrease again such that range of 50o is equal
to that of 40o, range of 60o is equal to that of 30o, range of 70o is equal to
that of 20o.

From,
When, then,

Thus,
 Angle of Projection for Maximum Range of a Projectile:

Since for maximum range,

Then,

Thus,

Factors Affecting Range of a Projectile:

From,
We can conclude that that range of a projectile depends on
(a) Initial velocity.
(b) Angle of projection.

TRAJECTORY EQUATION:
Trajectory is the path taken by projectile. This path takes shape of parabola.
From, – ……………….(i)
Also from,
Putting equation (ii) into (i),
We get, –

Thus, –

Path of a projectile is parabola:

From, –
Let, and

Then, –
This is a parabolic equation. Thus path of a projectile is parabola

Alternative Trajectory Equation:

From, –
Since,
Thus, –

QN1
A ball thrown upwards just clears a vertical cliff of height 20 m horizontally. If the cliff is 30 m away, calculate:
-
(a) Angle of projection.
(b) Initial velocity of the ball.

QN 2
A ball is thrown with an initial velocity, Vo of 48 m/ d rected at a a gle Ө, of 37o with the vertical. Find: -
(a) The x – and y – components of Vo
(b) The position of the ball and the magnitude and direction of its velocity when t = 2 seconds.
(c) The highest point of the ball and the time taken to reach there.
(d) The range of the ball.