QNHS – SHS / Q1WK3 – GENERAL PHYSICS 1 / STEM

After going through this module, you are expected to:

o Describe motion using the concept of relative velocities in 1D and 2D STEM_GP12KIN-Ic20
o Deduce the consequences of the independence of vertical and horizontal components of projectile
motion STEM_GP12KIN-Ic22
o Calculate range, time of flight, and maximum heights of projectiles STEM_GP12KIN-Ic23
o Infer quantities associated with circular motion such as tangential velocity, centripetal acceleration,
tangential acceleration, radius of curvature STEM_GP12KIN-Ic25
o Solve problems involving two dimensional motion in contexts such as, but not limited to ledge jumping,
movie stunts, basketball, safe locations during firework displays, and Ferris wheels STEM_GP12KIN-Ic26

What is it
Learning that practice makes perfect, but you got to get that move which needs to be perfected, is scientific. How
then do we explain science in throwing the ball? Consider the figure below.
D
C B E
B B
B F
B B
A G
B
Figure 2. Motion of a Thrown Ball in the air

Let us take a look at the direction where the ball moves, you should note that basketball player tries to lift his body
along with arms to stay on level position of release of the ball to the net. The ball tracks the curved path, how then is the
motion of the ball analyzed? We are now extending our ideas to nonlinear motion – motion along a curved path.

You should see that as it goes to the direction of the net at the right, if forms a curve upward. Therefore, the ball
undergoes vertical motion as it goes up and horizontal motion as it goes to the right. This time motion is said to be two-
dimensional. As the ball moves from Point A to Point B, it can be noted that given an initial velocity at the point of release
(A), the direct path is diagonal to the right.

Remember that there is the vertical component, V0Y, and the horizontal
component, V0x of the initial velocity. To account for the values of these X and Y
V0
components of the velocity, we should consider the measure of the angle from the x-
axis and the magnitude of that velocity applying for the Pythagorean Theorem. V0X
Figure 3.
Components of the initial velocity

The ball is an example of a projectile, an object which when released into the space, travels freely under the
action of gravity and air resistance. The motion of a projectile is due mainly to the gravity if the effect of air resistance is
negligible. At this point, a projectile is analyzed as a freefall. You must observe that the trajectory of the projectile is a
parabola, and that its velocity at any instant of time is tangent to this parabolic path. The vector diagram below shows the
motion of the ball.

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 Figure 4. X & Y components of the motion of a projectile.

The motion of a projectile may be described by analyzing the motion of its projections in the X-Y axes. The whole
motion may be resolved into its horizontal and vertical parts. We are assuming that air resistance is negligible, then the
vertical part of the motion is affected only by the gravity. While horizontal part (X-component) is unaffected by the gravity,
it would not have any acceleration at all, and the vertical part (Y-component) would therefore have an acceleration due to
gravity. This means that the vertical component of the velocity changes uniformly, with the acceleration being equal to, g;
while the horizontal component of the velocity of the projectile at any instant of time is constant. As observed in Figure 4,
the velocity along the X remains the same at any point in the graph, while the vertical velocities change at any of the
curve.

What I Have Learned

From the discussions above, you may now be able to generate general information.
1. How do you explain the science of throwing a ball?
2. How is motion in two-dimensions described? Give at least two examples and explain each situation in the
context of two-dimensional motion.
3. Describe a projectile. Explain its motion along the X-Y axes.

What I Can Do
Directions: From the context of the motion of the ball, let us analyze the details of Figure 4. X & Y components of the
motion of a projectile as its vector diagram:
1. How many components does each measure of velocity of a projectile have? What does this suggest of the
motion of the projectile?
2. Given the X-components for each measure of velocity, what can you say about the velocity of the projectile
along the X? Does it change? Why or Why not?
3. Which component of the motion of a projectile is affected by the gravity if air resistance is negligible?
4. Accounting for the effect of gravity what do you think would happen to a projectile’s initial velocity as it goes
up? From the top, how would the velocity change in going down at the same level it was
projected? Can we relate this kind of motion to a free fall? If this so, why or why not?
5. How do you think would the range, the horizontal distance that may be reached by a projectile, be affected if
the angle (from the X-axis) of release of a projectile would be increased? How if the angle would
be decreased?
6. In summary, projectiles have two motions, vertical and horizontal, which needs to be analyzed. How should we
analyze these motions? Is vertical motion dependent of the horizontal motion? Or is horizontal
dependent of the vertical motion? Or are they to be analyzed independently?

HORIZONTAL COMPONENTS OF A PROJECTILE

Projectile, once in the space, projects a curved path that at first seem to be complicated. In reality, this path is
simply analyzed with its horizontal and vertical components separately. Let us look at the ball below.

Figure 6. Ball rolling on a table top

The horizontal component of motion for a projectile is just like the horizontal motion of a ball rolling freely along a
level surface. When friction is negligible, this rolling ball moves at constant velocity as the ball covers equal distances in
equal time intervals as shown in Figure 6. Since no horizontal force is acting on the ball, there is no horizontal
acceleration. This is the same situation with coin B sliding on the table top in the activity done. Consequently, the same is
true for the projectile – when no horizontal force acts on the projectile, the horizontal velocity remains constant.

Horizontally, initial velocity, v 0, is equal to the velocity at any point in the projectile, v x . The horizontal component
of the velocity of the projectile at any given time is constant. Its magnitude is computed using:
Equation 1.a. v x =v 0cos θ 0
Where:
v x = horizontal component of the velocity at any given time
v 0= initial velocity of the projectile
θ 0 = angle of departure of the projectile

Since v ox=v x =v 0 cos θ0 ; horizontal velocity is constant. As such, horizontally, acceleration is zero.

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 To compute for the range, the horizontal distance that may be reached by a projectile, we use this equation:

Equation 1.b. d x =v x t=v o cos θo t

2 2
Equation 1.c. v x =v o +2 ad
VERTICAL COMPONENTS OF A PROJECTILE
The vertical component of a projectile’s velocity is like the motion described in freefall. In the vertical
motion, there is gravity that acts on the object. Like a ball dropped in air, a projectile accelerates downward as
shown in the Figure 6 at the left. Its vertical component of velocity changes with time. The increasing speed in the
vertical direction causes a greater distance to be covered in each successive equal time interval. This is
the same observation you had with the two coins in the activity.

The vertical component of the motion of a projectile is uniformly accelerated.

The magnitude of the vertical component of the velocity is given by:

v y =v oy−¿
Since:
v oy =v o sin θo
The equation above becomes:

Equation 2.a. v y =v o sin θ o−¿

Where: Fig.7. Vertical Motion

v y= vertical component of the velocity at time t
v o = initial velocity of the projectile
θ o = angle of departure of the projectile
g= acceleration due to gravity
2
Equation 2.b. d y =v oy t + ¿
2
2 2
Equation 2.c. v y =v oy−2 gd
Let us apply what we have learned in solving problems:

*A stone is thrown upward with an initial speed of 20m/s. It goes up to a

certain height and comes down on the same level from where it was thrown.
a. How high does the stone go before it starts to come down?
b. How long does it take for the stone to reach this maximum height?
c. What is the acceleration of the stone at the highest point it reached?
d. What is its speed at the highest point?
e. How long does it take the stone to reach the same level where it was thrown?
How was the stone in the air?

Given: V0 = 20m/s
g = 9.8m/s

Required: a. dy max
b. t (upward curve)
c. a (at maximum height)
d. V (at maximum height)
e. t (in going down at same level), total time

2 2
a. Solving for height, d ymax , we can use the Equation 2.c, v y =v oy−2 gd you can derive equation for d.
2 2
v oy −v y
d= = (20m/s)2 – 0 / 2(9.8m/s2)
2g

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 d = 20m
b. We can use this equation v y =v oy−¿ to solve for the time for the stone to reach the maximum height.
v 0 y −v y
t= = 20m/s – 0 /9.8m/s2
g
t = 2.0s
c. Technically, at the maximum height we are asked of instantaneous acceleration. The object cannot change its
speed anymore, therefore at this point, acceleration gets zero. But upon reaching this maximum height, you should note
that it will begin to accelerate downwards by the action of gravity.
d. vy becomes 0 at the maximum height. It is acted again by the gravity.
e. Since projectiles act like a freefall, there is symmetrical motion in going up and down. In going down,
2 2
v y =v oy−2 gd can give us the final velocity just before the object reach the same level it was thrown.
vy2 = 0 – 2(9.8m/s2)(20m)
vy = 392m2/s2
vy = 20m/s

What’s More
Directions: Solve problems involving range, time of flight, and maximum heights of projectiles. Write the given,
required quantities, formula then show your solution.
1. A ball is projected horizontally from a table with a speed of 5.0m/s. After 0.5 second, find its
a.) position;
b.) its velocity.
2. A woman holds a hose 2.0m above the ground such that the water shoots out horizontally. The water hits the
ground at a point 3.0 m away. What is the speed with which the water leaves the hose?
3. How high will a body rise that is projected vertically upward with a speed of 30.0m/s?

TWO-DIMENSIONAL MOTION OF PROJECTILES*

After we have analyzed the vertical and horizontal parts of a projectile, the whole motion may be described in terms of
these components. The magnitude of the velocity of the projectile at any later time t may be obtained by adding the X and
Y components following rules on addition of vectors.
Magnitude of the Velocity: v=√ ❑
The direction angle θ (angle with which V makes with the horizontal) is given by:
vy
tanθ=
vx
−1 vy
Direction of the velocity: θ=tan
vx
The position (or the displacement from the origin) of the projectile at any later time t may be found by adding the X
and Y displacements vectorially. Its magnitude is given by:
Position of the Projectile: r =√ ❑

y
The direction angle θ (relative to the x-axis) is obtained from: tanθ=
x
−1 y
Direction of the Projectile: θ=tan
x

The Range
Let us consider a body projected at certain angle, θo, with respect to the horizontal ground. Assuming that this is
projected with an initial velocity Vo, this projectile covers a horizontal distance, range, dx, and maximum vertical height, dy
max. Refer to the figure below:

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 dy max

dx
Fig. 9. Maximum Height & Range of a Projectile

From Equation 1.b. d x =v x t=v o cos θo t

The range of this projected body is given by:
d x =v o cos θ o t

Since at time t, the body is already at the ground, using Equation 2.b.
2
gt d y =0;
d y =v oy t + and
2
2
gt
So: 0=v oy t+
2

Then: v oy −1> ¿ =0 ¿
2

Since: v oy =v o sin θ
2 v o sin θo
Time to cover the range of a Projectile: t=
g
This is the time it takes the ball to return to the ground. This is also the time for the ball to cover the range, dx.
2 v o sin θo
Combining equation d x =v o cos θ o t and t=
g
(Try operating the derivation of formula, solving for dx)
2
2 vo
Equation 3. Range d x=
g
( sin θ o cos θ o )

Equation 3 shows us how to compute the range of the projected body even if we do not know the total time of
travel. This will be helpful if we want to determine how far a body can be even before really doing it. For all we know the
horizontal distance may be predicted from the given initial velocity and the angle of departure.

The Maximum Height

The maximum height can also be determined even if we do not know the time of flight. Using the Equation 2.b.
d y =v oy t + ¿
2
2
gt
The maximum height is given by:d y max =v oy t−
2
Since: v oy =v o sin θ
2
gt
Equation 4. Maximum height: d y max =( v o sinθ ) t−
2

At the highest point, v y =0. The time to reach this highest point can be obtained:
v y =v oy−¿

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 0=v oy −¿
v oy
t=
g

Since v oy =v o sin θ

v o sin θ
The time to reach the maximum height: t=
g
This is just one half of the time used to cover the range of the projectile. So, this must be multiplied by 2
to cover the total time of flight.

2 v o sin θ
t=
g
2
gt
Combining the above equation with Equation 4, d y max =( v o sinθ ) t−
2

[ ]
2
v o sin θ
g
v o sin θ g
d y max =( v o sinθ ) −
g 2

v o sin θ 2
d y max =( v o sinθ ) −1/2 g ( v o sin θ o g )
g

Simplifying the above substitution:

Equation 5. Maximum Height (even without t given)

Let us try to solve problems involving range, time of flight, and maximum heights of projectiles:

A stone is thrown with a speed of 35m/s in a direction 300 above the horizontal. Find the height to which it rises,
the time of flight and the horizontal range.
Given: V0 = 35 m/s Required: dymax(maximum height)
θ = 300 ttotal(total time of flight)
dx

Let us solve problem together. In answering the maximum height required, we need to use the Y component of
2 2
the initial velocity. If we will be using the Equation v y =v oy−2 gd , we need to know v oy:
v oy = v o sin θ = 35 m/s sin 30 sin sin 30 = 17.5 m/s

Since, reaching the maximum height, v y =0,

0 = (17.5m/s)2 – 2(9.8m/s2)d
0 = 306.25m2/s2 – (19.6m/s2)d
d = 306.25m / 19.6
d = 15.63m or 17 m
Maximum height may also be calculated directly using the last equation explained above, for checking. Try solving the
maximum height now using:

In solving for the total time of flight, we can use

t = 35m/s Sin 300 / 9.8m/s2

t = 1.8 s

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 Since this length of time is in going up only, and we are
required to get the total time of flight, we multiply it by 2, or
simply use the formula at the right. Therefore, what is the total
time of flight?

This time do you realize that we can also use the formula Vy = V0 Sin θ0 – gt just remember again that it is one
way or going up only. How do you derive the formula for time from this equation?

In determining the horizontal range the stone will reach, we can directly use Equation 1.b: dx = V0 Cos θ0t.
Please note that the required t, here is the total time of flight to reach the maximum horizontal distance.

Then again, you can directly use the formula we analyzed on 2-D,

NOTES: Did you compute using the above formula? What can you say about your answers?

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