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Projectile Motions Stretch and Challenge

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27 views3 pages

Projectile Motions Stretch and Challenge

Uploaded by

adilpsn21
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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3.

8 Projectile motion
OCR Physics A Stretch and challenge

Advanced projectile motion

Specification references
 2.3.1 d)
 3.1.2 a) (i)
 3.1.3 a) b)
 M0.6, M2.2, M2.3, M2.4, M3.12

Introduction
In Chapter 3 of your student book you studied the equations of motion, and applied
them to the horizontal and vertical motion of projectiles.
The appropriate equations for motion are summarised in Table 1.
Table 1 Equations of motion

1 2 1
v  u  at s  ut  at s (v  u )t v 2  u 2  2as
2 2
Projectiles are often launched with a specific fixed velocity because the launch
forces are fixed or are difficult to adjust, for example, there is a fixed amount of
chemical explosive in an artillery shell or a fixed compression in a spring. However,
the launch angle is usually easier to adjust, therefore this is the key factor varied
when trying to launch a projectile to reach a target a set distance away.
By analysing the equations of motion, we can form equations that can be used to
determine the time of flight of the projectile, the maximum horizontal distance
travelled, and the maximum height the projectile will reach for any particular launch
angle. These can then be used to decide which launch angle to use.
In this activity you will derive the expressions that can be used to determine the
flight time and distance travelled by a projectile. You will use these, and an
expression for the maximum height reached, to analyse the motion of projectiles.

Learning outcomes
After completing the worksheet you should be able to:
 analyse projectile motion to determine appropriate launch angles for projectiles
to reach certain distances
 manipulate and combine mathematical expressions for projectile motion to form
new expressions, which can be used to calculate the maximum launch distance
and height.

Task 1: deriving an expression for the time of flight


When a projectile is launched we can analyse the horizontal and vertical
components of its velocity separately. Consider a projectile launched at an angle θ
to the horizontal with a launch velocity vl.

© Oxford University Press 2015 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements


This resource sheet may have been changed from the original 1
3.8 Projectile motion
OCR Physics A Stretch and challenge

The projectile will have an initial horizontal velocity of vl cos θ and an initial vertical
velocity of vl sin θ as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 Components of projectile motion


If we neglect air resistance, the projectile will follow a parabolic path because the
horizontal velocity will remain constant while the vertical component of the velocity
will change because of the acceleration due to gravity.
1 Use the appropriate equation of motion to demonstrate that, at the point of
landing, the vertical velocity of the projectile will be –vl sin θ.
2 Confirm that the flight time of the projectile is given by the expression:
2 v l sinθ
tim e of fight 
g

Task 2: deriving an expression for the range


As the horizontal velocity of the projectile is constant (vl cos θ), we should be able to
use the simple relationship of distance travelled  velocity  time to form an expression
for the range of the projectile. However, this would give us an expression that involves
the time of flight. It would be useful if we could form an expression that only involves
the launch velocity, launch angle, and g (which is constant). This would provide us with
a simple way of determining the range for a projectile, allowing us to determine an ideal
launch angle and/or velocity to reach a certain range target.
This expression is:
v l 2 sin 2θ
range 
g

To derive this equation, you will have to make use of the relationship sin 2θ  2sinθ cosθ .
1 Show that the above expression can be derived from the expression for the time
of flight and the simple distance travelled equation.
2 Use the expression for range to find the launch angle that would give the
maximum possible range for the projectile.
With further analysis of the equations of motion it is possible to show that the
maximum height reached by the projectile (half way along its journey) is given by
the expression
2
v l sin2 θ
m axim umheight 
2g

© Oxford University Press 2015 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements


This resource sheet may have been changed from the original 2
3.8 Projectile motion
OCR Physics A Stretch and challenge

Questions
1 A catapult is used to fire a ball with a velocity of 25.0 m s–1 at a range of angles
as shown in the table below.
a For each of the launch angles complete the table by determining:
i the range of the ball (horizontal distance travelled) (2 marks)
ii the maximum height reached by the ball (2 marks)
iii the time of flight for the ball. (2 marks)

Launch angle / ° 15 30 45 60 75
Range / m
Maximum height / m
Time of flight / s

b Use the data calculated in the table to sketch the paths of the five balls.
Numerical scales are not required. (4 marks)

2 A cannon is used to fire a shell over the top of a hill as shown in Figure 2. The
peak of the hill is exactly half way between the cannon and the target area. The
launch velocity of the shell is 200 m s–1 and the shell just passes over the peak
of the hill.

Figure 2 A shell fired over a hill


a Calculate the maximum range of the cannon. (3 marks)
b Determine the launch angle at which the shell just passes over the peak. (4 marks)
c Calculate the range of the shell when launched at the angle determined
in part b. (2 marks)
d Determine the distance between the cannon and the peak of the hill. (3 marks)

© Oxford University Press 2015 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements


This resource sheet may have been changed from the original 3

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