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Projectile Motion 2 - Solution

1. A cannon on a pirate ship was fired at an angle of 30 °, and the cannon ball came out of the
cannon at 40 ms-1. Assuming we can neglect air resistance and that g=9.8ms -2, calculate:
(a) The vertical and horizontal components of velocity.
v 0−horizontal =v 0 cosθ=40×cos300
=34 . 6 ms−1
v 0−vertical =v 0 sin θ=40×sin 300
−1
=20 ms

(b) How long the cannon ball is in the air?

Half Time of Flight when v t( vertical )=0
v t =v 0 +at
v t =20−10×t
∴ t=2 s
So the Time of Flight is 4 s
(c) How high it goes?
s vert =v 0 t + 1 2 at 2
s vert =20×2+ 1 2 ×10×2 2
s vert =20 m

(d) How far away it lands in the water?

shoriz =v 0 t
shoriz =34 . 6×4
shoriz =139 m
(e) What its velocity is after 2.0 seconds?
v 2s =v 2s ( vert )+v 2s (horiz )
v 2s =0+34 .6=34 . 6 ms−1 at 900 T

2. A bullet is fired at 30 ° to the horizontal with a speed of 100ms -1 . The acceleration of the bullet
is 10ms -2 vertically downwards.

(a) What is the change in velocity of the bullet after 2 seconds?

Each second, there is a change of velocity of 10ms-1 down.
So after 2 seconds, there is a change of 20ms-1 down.

(b) At what instant after firing will the bullet be travelling horizontally?
Initial components of the velocity of the bullet-
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v 1( vertical)=v1 sinθ=100×sin 300 =100×0. 5

=50ms-1
v 1(horizontal)=v 1 sinθ=100×cos300 =100×0 . 866
-1
=86 . 6 ms
Bullet travelling horizontally when vertical component is zero.
v 2=v 1 +at
0=50+(−10 )×t
t=5 s
(c) What is the velocity of the bullet 50 seconds after firing?
v 50( vertical )=v 0( vertical )+at
v 50( vertical )=50+(−10)×50
v 50( vertical )=−450 ms−1 =450 ms−1 down

v t =v 50 (horizontal )+v 50 ( vertical )

v t =86 . 6→+450↓
v t =458 ms−1 at 169 .10 T ( Pythagoras' Theory + Trigonometric ratio )
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3. A stone is thrown horizontally from the top of a 120m cliff with a speed of 8ms -1.(g=10ms-2)
v 0( horizontal )=8 ms−1 v 0( vertical )=0 ms−1 s=120 m

(a) How long does it take to strike the sea at the base of the cliff?
Consider the vertical component
s=v 1 t+ 1 2 at 2
120=0+ 1 2 ×10×t 2
120
t 2=
5
t=4 . 9 s

(b) How far from the base of the cliff does it strike the sea?
s=v 1( horizontal)×t
s=8×4 . 9
s=39. 2 m
(c) What is its velocity as it strikes the sea?
Strikes the sea after 5s
v 5( vertical)=v 0( vertical )+at
v 5( vertical)=0+(−10)×5
v 5( vertical)=−50 ms−1=50 ms−1 down
v 5=v 5( horizontal )+v 5( vertical )
v 5=8→+50↓=50 .6 ms−1 170 . 10 T (Pythagoras' Theory + Trig Ratio)
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4. An object is projected horizontally at 30ms -1 from the top of a building which is 40m high. Find:
a=9 . 8 ms−2 down v 1 =0 ms−1 Δsv =40 m Δt =?
(a) The time it takes the object to reach the ground.
Δs v=v 1 t+ 1 2 at 2
40=0+ 1 2 ×9 . 8×t 2
40
t 2= =8 . 16
4.9
t=2 . 86 s

(b) The horizontal distance from the base of the wall to the landing point.
Δsh =v h ×t
Δsh =30×2. 86
Δsh =85 . 8 m

(c) The time when the object passes a window 25m above the ground.
Δs=15 m a=9 . 8ms-2 v 1=0 ms−1 Δt=?
1
Δs=v 1 t+ 2 at 2
1
15=0×t + 2 ×9 . 8×t 2
15
t 2=
4.9
t=1 . 75 s

(d) The objects height above the ground after 2 seconds.

Consider only the vertical component
Δs=0+ 1 2 ×9 . 8×22
Δs=4 . 9×4
Δs=19. 6 m

5. A cricket ball is hit so that it travels 90m before hitting the ground. If it reaches a maximum
height of 20m calculate the velocity with which the ball left the bat.
Time of flight can be calculated from the ball’s vertical motion. Time to reach maximum
height (at maximum height vvert=0ms-1 )
Δs vert=v vert t + 1 2 at 2
+20=0+ 1 2 ×9 .8×t 2
20
t 2= =4 .08
4.9
t=2 . 02 s
Total Time of Flight =2×2 . 02 s=4 .04 s

Velocity in Horizontal direction

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Δshoriz
v horiz=
Δt
90 −1
v horiz= =22 .3 ms
4 . 04

Velocity in the vertical direction in reaching the maximum height

Δs vert=20 m a vert=−9. 8 ms−1 Δt=2. 02 s v 2 =0 ms−1
vert
2 2
v 2vert −v 1vert =2 aΔs
0−v 21vert =2×(−9 .8 )×20
2
v 1 vert=392
v 1 vert=19 . 8 ms−1

Initial velocity can be found by adding the velocity components

v 1=v 1horiz +v 1 vert
v 21=(22. 3 )2 +(19 . 8)2 (Pythagoras' Theory )
v 21=889 . 33
v 1=29 . 8 ms−1 42
480.0 to the horizontal
60

6. (a) When a projectile lands lower than its launch height, the Time of Flight will
increases by the time it takes to fall the extra height.
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(b) The air resistance will cause an opposing force to the motion of the projectile in the
vertical and horizontal directions. The object will not follow a parabolic path as it would if there
were no air resistance.

As can be seen the range and Time of Flight are reduced

(c)

When the object is thrown, it leaves at a given angle, the object will then pass the release height at
the same angle. The object thrown at 450 enters the extra ‘space’ at a larger angle dives into the
ground. The object thrown at a less angle enters the extra ‘space’ at a lower angle and can travel
further.