Kinematics of Projectile Motion

• What is a projectile?
– A body in free fall that is subject only to the
forces of gravity and air resistance
– Motion of bodies flung into the air
– Occurs in many activities, such as baseball, diving,
figure skating, basketball, golf, and volleyball
– A special case of linear kinematics
 Kinematics of Projectile Motion
• Projectiles have different objectives
– Time of flight
• Maximum – tennis defensive lob, football punt,
springboard diving, ski/snowboard ariel tennis lob
• Minimum – baseball infield throw, tennis volley
– Maximum horizontal displacement (range) -
javelin, discus, shot put, long jump, triple jump,
football kickoff, golf drive,
– Maximum vertical displacement (apex) – pole
vault, high jump, basketball jump ball
 Factors Influencing Projectile
Trajectory
What factors influence the trajectory
(flight path) of a projectile?
• projection angle - the direction of
projection with respect to the
horizontal
Factors Influencing Projectile
Trajectory
• Trajectory shape
dependent on angle of
projection in absence of air
resistance.
• If angle perfectly vertical,
trajectory also vertical.
• If angle oblique, trajectory
is parabolic.
• If angle horizontal,
trajectory is half parabola.
 Factors Influencing Projectile
Trajectory

5
This scaled
diagram shows 4
the size and
Maximum height (m)

3
shape of
trajectories for 2
an object 1
projected at 10
0
m/s at different
angles. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Range (distance) (m)
Factors Influencing Projectile
Trajectory
The Effect of Projection Angle on Range
(Relative Projection Height = 0)
Projection Projection
Speed Angle Range
(m/s) (degrees) (m)
10 10 3.49
10 20 6.55
10 30 8.83
10 40 10.04
10 45 10.19
10 50 10.04
10 60 8.83
10 70 6.55
10 80 3.49
 Factors Influencing Projectile
Trajectory
What factors influence the trajectory
(flight path) of a projectile?
• projection speed - the magnitude of
projection velocity
 Factors Influencing Projectile
Trajectory
• When projection angle
and other factors
constant, projection
speed determines length
of trajectory (range).
• For vertical projectile,
speed determines apex.
• For oblique projectile,
speed determines height
of apex and horizontal
range.
 Factors Influencing Projectile
Trajectory

What factors influence the trajectory

(flight path) of a projectile?
• relative projection height - the
difference between projection height
and landing height
Factors Influencing Projectile
Trajectory
• When projection speed
is constant, greater
relative projection height
provides longer flight
time which increases
horizontal displacement.
• Taller shot putters can
throw farther than
shorter ones even if
throw with same speed.
 Factors Influencing Projectile
Trajectory
FACTORS INFLUENCING PROJECTILE MOTION
(Neglecting Air Resistance)
Variable Factors of Influence
Flight time Initial vertical velocity
Relative projection height
Horizontal displacement Horizontal velocity
Initial vertical velocity
Vertical displacement Relative projection height
Initial vertical velocity

Trajectory Initial speed

Projection angle
Relative projection height
 Generalizations for Maximum
Range
If purpose to maximize range,
optimum angle of landing is
always 45º.
If purpose to maximize range
& projection height is zero,
the optimum angle of
projection (and landing) is
45°.
If purpose to maximize range
& projection height is above
landing (+), optimum angle
of projection less than 45°.
 Projectile as a Vector
• Initial velocity of projectile is Standing Broad
a vector Jump take-off
– Speed (Magnitude)
– Angle (Direction) P1 P2
– Point of origin
• Vector represented
graphically by:
– Line of action
• Initial velocity of projectile
resolved into horizontal and +
vertical components
– If horizontal and vertical - +
components added, resultant
equals original initial velocity
-
 Vector Components of
Projectile Motion
Why do we analyze the horizontal and
vertical components of projectile motion
separately?

(the vertical component is influenced

by gravity and the horizontal
component is not)
 Vector Components of Projectile
Motion
• Horizontal component
(Vh) has certain velocity
or magnitude.
• Horizontal component
(Vh) remains constant
throughout flight,
neglecting air resistance.
• Horizontal velocity
influences range, but not
time object in air.
 Kinematics of Projectile Motion
Downward acceleration of a projectile same as downward
acceleration of a free falling body due to constant gravity.
Two balls - one dropped and one projected horizontally from
the same height:

Both land at the same time since gravity affects their vertical
velocities equally.
 Kinematics of Projectile Motion
• Horizontal velocity (Vh) does not affect
vertical velocity (Vv).
• (Vh) and (Vv) are independent of one another
• Gravity affects vertical velocity (Vv).
• What is the effect of gravity?
– (The force of gravity produces a constant
acceleration of -9.81 m/s2 or -32.2 ft/s2 on
bodies near the surface of the earth.)
– Negative (-) vertical direction is downward.
 Kinematics of Projectile Motion

The pattern of apex Vertical velocity

change in the decreases as the
vertical ball rises and
velocity of a increases as the
projectile is ball falls due to
symmetrical gravity the influence of
about the gravitational
apex. force.
 Calculation of Displacement
• Calculation of Magnitude:
Resultant displacement (dR)
P2
=
=
P1 = 0.63 m

• Calculation of Direction:
Resultant Angle to horizontal (θ)
displacement
(dR) Vertical Tan θ = Opposite / Adjacent
displacement
 (dV) = 0.2 m Tan θ = dV / dH = 0.2 / 0.6
Horizontal θ = Tan-1 (0.2 / 0.6)
displacement (dH) =
0.6 m θ = 18.8º
 Calculation of components of velocity
At take-off in SBJ Horizontal component of velocity (vH):
cos θ = Adjacent / Hypotenuse
cos θ = vH / vR
vH = vR × cos θ
Vertical component of vH = 3.2 × cos 23
velocity (vV)
θ vH = 2.94 m·s-1
Horizontal component of
velocity (vH) Vertical component of velocity (vV):
sin θ = Opposite / Hypotenuse
sin θ = vV / vR
vV = vR × sin θ
vR = 3.2 m·s-1 vV = 3.2 × sin 23
θ = 23º vV = 1.25 m·s-1
Equations of Constant Acceleration
Three formulas interrelating the kinematic
quantities – displacement, velocity,
acceleration, and time.
1. v2 = v1 + at
2. d = v1t + ½ at2
3. v22 = v12 + 2ad
The equation that you select to solve a problem
must have the known quantities and the
unknown variable you wish to find.
Equations of Constant Acceleration
If applied to horizontal projectile in which a = 0,
1. v2 = v1 + 0·t
2. d = v1t + ½ 0·t2
3. v22 = v12 + 2·0·d
If applied to vertical projectile free falling (v1 =0),
1. v2 = v1 (0) + at
2. d = v1 (0) t + ½ at2
3. v22 = v12 (0) + 2ad
 Summary
• Variables used to describe motion are either:
– Scalar (magnitude only: e.g. time, distance and speed)
– Vector (magnitude and direction: e.g. displacement, velocity and acceleration)
• Displacement is the change in position of a body
• Average velocity is the change in position divided by the change in time
• Average acceleration is the change in velocity divided by the change in
time
• The resultant and angle of a vector variable can be calculated from its
horizontal and vertical components using Pythagorean Theorem and
trigonometry
• The horizontal and vertical components of a vector variable can be
calculated from its resultant and angle using trigonometry