UNIT 4: FORCE, MOTION, ENERGY

Module No. 1: FORCES and MOTION

Lesson 3: Motion in Two Dimensions
PROJECTILE MOTION

Many neighborhood games you join and sporting events you play and officiate in MAPEH classes involve flying objects or balls.
Have you noticed the curved paths they make in mid-air? This curve is what naturally happens when an object, called a projectile,
moves in two dimensions – having both horizontal and vertical motion components, acted by gravity only. In physics this is called
projectile motion.
Not only balls fly when in projectile motion. Have you noticed that in many sports and games, players come “flying” too? Understanding
motion in two-dimensions will help you apply the physics of sports and enhance game events experiences.

When the player hits the “Sepak”, the motion of the “Sepak” is called
projectile motion. The “Sepak” itself is called projectile. The “Sepak” will follow
a parabolic path called trajectory especially if air resistance is negligible. Two
coordinates are usually used to describe projectile motion: horizontal and
vertical axes. The horizontal distance traveled by the projectile is called the
range. While the vertical distance, that is, the distance from where it was
launched to the top most point of its path is called its height.

TRAJECTORY
HEIGHT

RANGE
The concept check on horizontal uniform velocity motion and
vertical uniform acceleration motion in one dimension should
serve as reminder that all projectiles regardless of its path will
always follow these principles:
1. Projectiles always maintain a constant horizontal
velocity (neglecting air resistance).
2. Projectiles always experience a constant vertical
acceleration of 9.8 m/s2, downward (neglecting air
resistance).
3. The horizontal and “vertical” motions are
completely independent of each other. Therefore, horizontal
and vertical motion can be treated separately.

.
EXAMPLES OF PROJECTILES
1. Cannon ball launched by a cannon,
2. golf ball hit by a golfer,
3. An ice skater jumping over some barrels.
Usually, a strong, abrupt force initiates the motion of a projectile. Following this force, the projectile moves through the air and
is influenced only by the earth’s gravitational force pulling it down and by air resistance. If the effect of air resistance is
ignored, equations in free fall are readily used to analyze the motion of a projectile – how high it will travel, how far it will go
and so on.

1. HORIZONTAL PROJECTIONS

The velocity in the horizontal direction is constant and the downward velocity component increases with time because of the
acceleration due to gravity (g= 9.8m/s2).
The projectile motion is a combination of that of an object falling from rest and one moving horizontally at the same
time.
Vx
Vertical Motion of a Horizontal Motion of a
Projectile (y) Projectile (x)
2
d x=¿ v ¿t
dy= ¿ x

2
dx
Vyf = gt t= V
Vy x

-The velocity of a projectile can be separated into horizontal V yf ¿=√ 2 g dy v x = v x f = constant

¿
and vertical components.

-The vertical component (Vy) varies while the horizontal

component (Vx) is constant.
-The actual velocity (VR) is represented by the resultant
t=
√ 2dy
g

vectors that form the diagonal of the rectangle formed by

the vertical and horizontal components.

The maximum height (dy) and the horizontal distance (dx) can be calculated by using the formula for a freely falling body and
that for constant speed motion, respectively.

Sample Problems:
1. Anton claims that he can throw a dart at a dart board from a distance of 2.0 m and hit the 5.0 cm wide bull’s- eye if he throws the dart
horizontally with a speed of 20 m/s. He starts the throw at the same speed of 20 m/s. He starts the throw at the same height at the top
of the bull’s-eye. Will Anton hit the bull’s-eye?
Given: Formula:
dx = 2.0 m dx=Vx x t
Vix = 20 m/s
 dy = ?
Solution:
dx 2.0 m
Solving for t, we have t= = , Now that we have determined t (which is the same time it will take to
Vx 20 m/ s
2
cover dy). We can now solve for dy. dy =
¿
2

= (9.8 m/s2) (0.1 s)2

2
= (9.8 m/s2) (0.01 s2)
2
dy = 0.049 m or 4.9 cm (Anton will hit the bull’s-eye.)

2. In the given picture below, Alice throws the ball to the +X direction with an initial velocity 10m/s. Time elapsed during the
motion is 5s, calculate the height that object is thrown and Vy component of the velocity after it hits the
ground.

2.

Problem Set
Paul is standing outside the physics laboratory 7 m from the wall. Peter, by a window 5 m above the ground, tosses a ball
horizontally. Find the speeds that peter should give the ball for it to reach Paul.

2. PROJECTILE LAUNCHED AT AN ANGLE

When a projectile is launched at an angle, the initial velocity has a vertical component as well as horizontal
component. If the object is launched upward, its speed decrease until it reaches a maximum height and goes down with an
increasing speed.

A remarkable thing to note is that the same range is obtained

from two different projection angles– complementary angles. An object
thrown into the air at an angle of 75o, for example, will have the same
range as if it were thrown at the same speed at an angle of 15o. An
object thrown at 60o will have the same range as when the object is
launched at 30o. As you can see, when we get the sum of 75 o angle
and 15o angle, 60o angle and 30o angle, in both sets we would obtain a
90o angle. This means that 75o angle and 15o angle are called
complementary angles. Similarly, 60o angle and 30o angle are also
complementary angles. Thus, complementary angles (angles whose
sum is equal to 90 o) would result to equivalent range. For smaller
angles, object remains in the air for a shorter time. A maximum range is
attained when an object is launched 45o from the horizontal.

TWO QUANTITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRAJECTORY

Maximum height – the highest point of the projectile when the vertical velocity is zero (projectile has only its horizontal
velocity component)
Range, R – the horizontal distance the projectile travels.
 Flight time – the time the projectile is in the air.
EQUATIONS
When a projectile is fired with an initial velocity (vi) at an angle θ above the horizontal, the initial velocity can be resolved into its
rectangular components. That is, Vi x = Vi cos θ
Vi y = Vi sin θ

dx= Vix x t t’= 2 Vi x

g

R= Vi2 sin 2θ t max= Vy

g
dy= Vy 2

2g
Sample problem
A long jumper leaves the ground at an angle of 30° to the horizontal and at a speed of 6 m/s. How far does
he jump?
Given: θ = 30° Find: dx or R Formula: dx= Vix x t’
Vi= 6 m/s

Solution:
Find the value of t
t’= 2Vi sin θ
g
= 2(6.0 m/s)(sin 30°)
9.8 m/s2
t’= 0.61 s
Substitute t’ to the equation: dx= Vix x t’
=(Vi cos θ) t’
= (6.0 m/s)(cos 30°) (0.61 s)
= (6.0 m/s)(0.87)(0.61 s)
dx= 3.18 m
OR
R= Vi2 sin 2θ
g = (6.0 m/s)2 sin 60°)
9.8 m/s2
= (36 m /s )(0.87)
2 2

9.8 m/s2 =3.20 m