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Free Fall and Projectile Motion

1) Free falling objects experience constant acceleration due to gravity (g = 9.8 m/s^2) regardless of mass, as long as air resistance is negligible and the object falls near the Earth's surface. 2) Projectile motion involves calculating the horizontal (x) and vertical (y) components of motion separately using equations that treat the acceleration as constant. 3) For a projectile launched at an angle θ, the horizontal component has no acceleration (a=0) while the vertical component is accelerated by gravity. The trajectory path can be determined using the x and y component equations.

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55 views2 pages

Free Fall and Projectile Motion

1) Free falling objects experience constant acceleration due to gravity (g = 9.8 m/s^2) regardless of mass, as long as air resistance is negligible and the object falls near the Earth's surface. 2) Projectile motion involves calculating the horizontal (x) and vertical (y) components of motion separately using equations that treat the acceleration as constant. 3) For a projectile launched at an angle θ, the horizontal component has no acceleration (a=0) while the vertical component is accelerated by gravity. The trajectory path can be determined using the x and y component equations.

Uploaded by

William Huang
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Free Falling and Projectile Motion

I. Dimensional –
A- Falling bodies: Conditions for Free Fall:

h  

𝑓𝑡
1. Acceleration is gravity = 9.8 𝑚 𝑠 ! on 32 𝑠!

2. Mass does not affect rate at which they fall.


3. If h is small when compared to radius of the earth, 6.38×10! 𝑚  you can
ignore air resistance.
4. If above 3 conditions are met, then you satisfy conditions for free-fall.
a) This includes rising and falling motion
b) Because acceleration is gravity it is constant , you can use equations of use
constant acceleration (𝑎! = −𝑔)
5. Make origin where the object is launched.
6. 𝑣! = 0   at peak of launch.

B. Because Acceleration is Constant, g, then the equations for constant acceleration


apply!
a) Y-dimension:
! !
1. Distance = initial velocity(time) + !acceleration 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒

1
∆𝑦 = 𝑣!" 𝑡 − 𝑔𝑡 !
2
2.    𝑣 !!! = 𝑣 ! !! + 2𝑎(∆𝑦); ∆𝑦 = 𝑌!"#$% − 𝑌!"!#!$%
3. 𝑣! = 𝑣!! − 𝑔𝑡
!!! !!!
4. ∆𝑦 = !
𝑡.
II. 2-dimensional: X & Y Components:

1. Projectile motion is due motion of any object launched at an angle


a) maximum angle is 45° for max distance
b) 𝑎! = 0, 𝑣! = 0 at peak
c) Trajectory is the name given to the path the launched object takes

𝜃  

2. All 4 equations above have x counterparts:


1
∆𝑥 = 𝑣!" 𝑡 + 𝑎𝑥𝑡 !
2
𝑣 !!" = 𝑣 ! !" + 2𝑎𝑥
𝑣! = 𝑣!" + 𝑎𝑡
𝑣!" + 𝑣!
∆𝑥 = 𝑡
2
*𝑎! = 0 in all projectile motion

3. When there is an x component, a 𝜃 results, and the constant acceleration equations


change a bit:

!!" !!"
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = !!
, 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = !!
𝑣! 𝑣!"

𝜃 𝑣! 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝑣!" , 𝑣! 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = 𝑣!"


𝑣!"

*everywhere you see  𝑣!"  and𝑣!" , replace with above components.

1. Equations became:
1
𝑥 = 𝑣! 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 𝑡    𝑦 = 𝑣! 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑡 − 𝑔𝑡 !
2
𝑣! = 𝑣! 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃      𝑣! = 𝑣! 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 − 𝑔𝑡
2. Optimal 𝜃 is 45° to get maximal distance.
3. 𝑎! = 0  , 𝑣! = 0  at peak of trajectory!  

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