Projectile Motion

Motion in Two Dimensions

Projectile Motion

AP Physics B
What is a Projectile?
 Any object that continues in motion by its own inertia and is
influenced only by the downward force of gravity (and air
resistance)

- an object dropped from rest is a projectile

- an object thrown straight upward is a projectile

- an object thrown upward at an angle to the

horizontal
Projectiles move in TWO dimensions
Since a projectile
moves in 2-
dimensions, it
therefore has 2
components just
like a resultant
vector.
 Horizontal and

Vertical
Horizontal “Velocity” Component

 NEVER changes, covers equal displacements in

equal time periods. This means the initial
horizontal velocity equals the final horizontal
velocity

In other words, the horizontal

velocity is CONSTANT. BUT
WHY?

Gravity DOES NOT work

horizontally to increase or
decrease the velocity.
Horizontal Motion
 If there is no force acting on an object, then it will continue moving at a
constant speed in the same direction.

- there will be no change in its velocity

- distance will increase the same amount with each second

Vertical “Velocity” Component
 Changes (due to gravity), does NOT cover
equal displacements in equal time periods.

Both the MAGNITUDE and DIRECTION change. As

the projectile moves up the MAGNITUDE
DECREASES and its direction is UPWARD. As it
moves down the MAGNITUDE INCREASES and the
direction is DOWNWARD.
Free Fall Revisited
 An object in free fall is only acted on by gravity

- Acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m/s2

– distance covered increases with each second

Combining the Components
Together, these
components produce
what is called a
trajectory or path. This
path is parabolic in
nature.

Component Magnitude Direction

Horizontal Constant Constant
Vertical Changes Changes
 Horizontal Vertical
Motion Motion
Forces No The force of
gravity (down)
Acceleration No Yes "g" is
downward at
-9.8 m/s2
Velocity Constant Changing by
-9.8 m/s each
second
Projectile Motion Combines Vertical
Motion and Horizontal Motion
 The vertical motion of a projectile is not affected by its
horizontal motion

-meaning: The vertical motion of a projectile is identical to

an object in free fall
 The horizontal motion of a projectile is not affected by its
vertical motion

- meaning the projectile will travel the same horizontal

distance as it would if it were simply rolling on a flat
surface in the absence of friction
Projectile Motion Combines Horizontal
Motion and Vertical Motion

The vertical and horizontal

motion of a projectile are
independent of each other
 Horizontally Launched Projectiles
Projectiles which have NO upward trajectory and NO initial
VERTICAL velocity. v  v  constant
ox x

voy  0 m / s
• Horizontal Motion
– Constant, no acceleration.
• Vertical Motion
– Free fall, acceleration due to gravity.
Projectile Motion
Projectiles follow a parabolic
trajectory
Horizontal component along
trajectory remains unchanged.
Acceleration only occurs in the
vertical component
 Projectile Motion and
Complementary Angles
Different launch angles result in different horizontal
distances traveled by the projectile
 Same range is obtained from two different launching angles when the
angles add up to 90°.
 Object launched at an angle of 60 has the same range as if it were thrown at an
angle of 30.
- What launch angle would have the same range as a projectile
launched at 20o?
Horizontally Launched Projectiles
To analyze a projectile in 2 dimensions we need 2
equations. One for the “x” direction and one for
the “y” direction. And for this we use kinematic #2.

x  voxi t  1 at 2
2
x  voxi t y  1 gt 2
2
Remember, the velocity is Remember that since the
CONSTANT horizontally, so projectile is launched
that means the acceleration horizontally, the INITIAL
is ZERO! VERTICAL VELOCITY is
equal to ZERO.
Projectile Calculations
For Projectiles Launched horizontally
Horizontal Distance
d = v(t)

Horizontal Velocity
vf = vi + at

Vertical Distance
d = vit - ½ gt2

Vertical Velocity
Vf = Vi - gt
Horizontally Launched Projectiles
Example: A plane traveling with What do I What I want to
a horizontal velocity of 100 know? know?
m/s is 500 m above the
ground. At some point the vix=100 m/s t=?
pilot drops a bomb on a
target below. (a) How long is y = 500 m x=?
the bomb in the air? (b) How
far away from point above viy= 0 m/s
where it was dropped will it
land? g = -9.8 m/s/s

y  1 gt 2  500  1 (9.8)t 2
2 2
x  voxi t  (100)(10.1)  1010 m
102.04  t 2  t  10.1 seconds
Vertically Launched Projectiles
NO Vertical Velocity at the top of the trajectory.

Vertical Vertical Velocity

Velocity increases on the
decreases way down,
on the way
upward Horizontal Velocity
is constant

Component Magnitude Direction

Horizontal Constant Constant
Vertical Decreases up, 0 Changes
@ top, Increases
down
Vertically Launched Projectiles
Since the projectile was launched at a angle, the
velocity MUST be broken into components!!!

voxi  voi cos 

vi viy
voyi  voi sin 


vix
Vertically Launched Projectiles
There are several
things you must
consider when doing
these types of
projectiles besides
using components. If
it begins and ends at
ground level, the “y”
displacement is
ZERO: y = 0
Vertically Launched Projectiles
You will still use kinematic #2, but YOU MUST use
COMPONENTS in the equation.

vo voy x  voxt y  voy t  1 gt 2

2


vox vox  vo cos 

voy  vo sin 
Example
A place kicker kicks a football with a velocity of 20.0 m/s
and at an angle of 53 degrees.
(a) How long is the ball in the air?
(b) How far away does it land?
(c) How high does it travel?

vox  vo cos 
/s
0.0
m
vox  20 cos 53  12.04 m / s
=2
vo
voy  vo sin 

voy  20sin 53  15.97 m / s
Example
A place kicker kicks a
football with a What I know What I want
velocity of 20.0 m/s to know
and at an angle of 53 vox=12.04 m/s t=?
degrees. voy=15.97 m/s x=?
(a) How long is the ball y=0 ymax=?
in the air?
g = - 9.8
m/s/s
y  voy t  1 gt 2  0  (15.97)t  4.9t 2
2
15.97t  4.9t 2  15.97  4.9t
t  3.26 s
Example

A place kicker kicks a What I know What I want

football with a to know
velocity of 20.0 m/s vox=12.04 m/s t = 3.26 s
and at an angle of 53 voy=15.97 m/s x=?
degrees. y=0 ymax=?
(b) How far away does it g = - 9.8
land? m/s/s

x  vox t  (12.04)(3.26)  39.24 m

Example What I know What I want
to know
A place kicker kicks a vox=12.04 m/s t = 3.26 s
football with a velocity voy=15.97 m/s x = 39.24 m
of 20.0 m/s and at an
angle of 53 degrees. y=0 ymax=?
g = - 9.8
(c) How high does it m/s/s
travel?
y  voy t  1 gt 2
2
CUT YOUR TIME IN HALF! y  (15.97)(1.63)  4.9(1.63) 2

y  13.01 m
A football is punted at 600 to the horizontal
at 50 m/s, calculate the initial horizontal
and vertical components of the velocity.
Given the initial horizontal and
vertical velocities you can find the
total velocity ( speed and direction.)

V  vxf  v yf 2 2

v yf v yf
tan     tan 1
vxf vxf
Bear Canyon Jump
Malik is stranded on the wrong side of a 95 meter wide canyon with a grizzly bear.
In a desperate attempt to escape from the bear he runs right off the edge of a cliff.
He leaves at a velocity of 10 m/s horizontally. The canyon was 150 m deep, how
long does he take to hit the ground? Or, does he make it to the other side?

d y  12 at 2
150m  12 (10m / s 2 )t 2
vi

t  5.5s
d x  vxi t
150 m
d x  (10m / s )(5.5s )

95 m d x  55m