Lesson 1

Projectile Motion
 Focus Question

What forces affect a basketball's

trajectory?
 New Vocabulary

projectile
trajectory
 Review Vocabulary

motion diagram: a series of images showing the

positions of a moving object taken at regular
(equal) time intervals
 Path of a Projectile

• An object shot through the air is called a

projectile.
• After a projectile has been given an initial thrust
(ignoring air resistance), it moves through the air
under only the force of gravity.
• Its path through space is called its trajectory.
Independence of Motion in Two Dimensions

• The vertical and horizontal motions of a

projectile are independent.
• When there is no air resistance, the horizontal
motion component experiences no acceleration
and has a constant velocity.
• The vertical motion component of a projectile
changes because it experiences a constant
acceleration due to gravity under these same
conditions.
 vxi

ay
Δy
Use with Example Problem 1.
Problem Δx
Miya’s pencil rolls off her desk and lands
0.50 m away. If the desk’s height is 1.0 m, SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
how long did it take the pencil to reach the • Use the equation of motion in the y-direction
floor? How fast was the pencil going when it to find the time.
left the desk? Ignore the pencil’s rotation.

Response
SKETCH AND ANALYZE THE PROBLEM
• Sketch the situation.
• List the knowns and unknowns.
KNOWN UNKNOWN
xi = 0 m yi = 1.0 m t=?
xf = 0.50 m yf = 0 m vxi = ?
ax = 0 m/s 2
ay = −9.8 m/s 2

vyi = 0 m/s
 vxi

ay
Use with Example Problem 1.
Δy

Problem Δx
Miya’s pencil rolls off her desk and lands
0.50 m away. If the desk’s height is 1.0 m, SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
how long did it take the pencil to reach the • Use the equation of motion in the x-direction
floor? How fast was the pencil going when it to find the initial velocity.
left the desk? Ignore the pencil’s rotation.

Response
SKETCH AND ANALYZE THE PROBLEM
• Sketch the situation.
• List the knowns and unknowns. EVALUATE THE ANSWER
KNOWN UNKNOWN • The units are correct: seconds for time and
xi = 0 m yi = 1.0 m t = 0.45 s meters per second for velocity.
xf = 0.50 m yf = 0 m vxi = ? • The signs are correct: Time is positive and the
ax = 0 m/s 2
ay = −9.8 m/s 2
positive velocity agrees with our diagram.
vyi = 0 m/s
 Angled Launches

• When a projectile is
launched at an angle, the
initial velocity has a
vertical component as
well as a horizontal
component.
• The adjoining figure
shows the separate
vertical- and horizontal-
motion diagrams for the
trajectory of the ball.
 Angled Launches

• There are three quantities associated with a trajectory.

• Maximum height: the height
of the projectile when the
vertical velocity is zero
• Range (R): the horizontal
distance that the projectile
travels when the initial and
final heights are the same
• Flight time: how much time
the projectile is in the air;
also called hang time
 Response
SKETCH AND ANALYZE THE PROBLEM
• Sketch the situation.
Use with Example Problem 2. • List the knowns and unknowns.
Problem KNOWN
Courtney kicks a soccer ball that is at rest on xi = 0 m yi = yf = 0 m
level ground and gives it an initial velocity of vi = 7.8 m/s θ = 32°
7.8 m/s at an angle of 32° above the ground. vxi = 6.6 m/s vyi = 4.1 m/s
Assume that forces due to air drag on the ball ax = 0 m/s2 ay = −9.8 m/s2
are insignificant. UNKNOWN
a. How long will the ball be in the air? 0.84 s tf = ? ymax = ? R = xf = ?
b. How high will the ball go?
SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
c. What will be its range?
• Part a: Use the relationship among position,
velocity, time, and acceleration.
 Response
SKETCH AND ANALYZE THE PROBLEM
• Sketch the situation.
Use with Example Problem 2. • List the knowns and unknowns.
Problem KNOWN
Courtney kicks a soccer ball that is at rest on xi = 0 m yi = yf = 0 m
level ground and gives it an initial velocity of vi = 7.8 m/s θ = 32°
7.8 m/s at an angle of 32° above the ground. vxi = 6.6 m/s vyi = 4.1 m/s
Assume that forces due to air drag on the ball ax = 0 m/s2 ay = −9.8 m/s2
are insignificant. UNKNOWN
a. How long will the ball be in the air? 0.84 s tf = ? ymax = ? R = xf = ?
b. How high will the ball go? 0.86 m
SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
c. What will be its range?
• Part b: Use the relationship among position,
velocity, time, and acceleration.
 Response
SKETCH AND ANALYZE THE PROBLEM
• Sketch the situation.
Use with Example Problem 2. • List the knowns and unknowns.
Problem KNOWN
Courtney kicks a soccer ball that is at rest on xi = 0 m yi = yf = 0 m
level ground and gives it an initial velocity of vi = 7.8 m/s θ = 32°
7.8 m/s at an angle of 32° above the ground. vxi = 6.6 m/s vyi = 4.1 m/s
Assume that forces due to air drag on the ball ax = 0 m/s2 ay = −9.8 m/s2
are insignificant. UNKNOWN
a. How long will the ball be in the air? 0.84 s tf = ? ymax = ? R = xf = ?
b. How high will the ball go? 0.86 m
SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
c. What will be its range? 5.5 m • Part c: Use the relationship among position,
velocity, and time.

EVALUATE THE ANSWER

• The distance, height, and flight time are
reasonable for a kicked soccer ball.
 Forces from Air

• Forces from the air can affect the trajectory of

an object.
• When the force from air is exerted in the same
direction as vi, it increases the object’s
horizontal speed, so the object travels farther
horizontally.
• When the force from air is exerted in the
direction opposite of vi, it decreases the object’s
horizontal speed, so the object travels a shorter
distance horizontally.
 Quiz

1. A marble rolls off the edge of a table. In which

direction does it accelerate?

A neither vertically nor horizontally

B both vertically and horizontally

C only vertically CORRECT

D only horizontally
 Quiz

2. An arrow is fired east at an angle above the

horizontal. Which describes the motion of the arrow
after it leaves the bow if air resistance is ignored?

A It accelerates CORRECT C It accelerates to the

downward only. east and downward.

B It accelerates to the D It accelerates to the

east only. east and upward.
 Quiz

3. What is the horizontal distance that a projectile

travels when the initial and final heights are the
same?

A range CORRECT C trajectory

B maximum height D flight time

 Quiz

4. What is special about a projectile’s motion when it

is at its maximum height?

A Its horizontal velocity is C Its horizontal

zero. acceleration is zero.

B Its vertical velocity is D Its vertical acceleration

zero. CORRECT is zero.
 Quiz

5. What is the path that a football follows after it is

thrown?

A range C maximum height

B projectile D trajectory CORRECT