Projectile

Understanding the
Basics of Two-
Dimensional Motion
Under Constant
Acceleration
• In this chapter, we will study the
objects that moved in both the x-
Two – and y- direction simultaneously
Dimension under a constant acceleration. An
important special case of this two-
al Motion dimensional motion is called
projectile motion.
• Anyone who has tossed any
kind of object into the air
has observed projectile
motion. If the effects of air
Projectile resistance and the rotation
motion of Earth are neglected, the
path of a projectile in Earth’s
gravity field is curved in the
shape of a parabola, as
shown in the next slide.
• The positive x-direction is
horizontal and to the right,
and the y-direction is
vertical and positive
upward. The most
important experimental fact
about projectile motion in
two dimensions is that the
horizontal and vertical
motions are completely
independent of each other.
Path of a Projectile
The path is parabolic

due to the At the peak, the y-
combination of component of
constant velocity in velocity is zero, while
the x-direction and the x-component
acceleration in the y- remains constant.
direction.
Velocity changes
in both
magnitude and
Velocity and direction.
Acceleration in
Projectile Acceleration
Motion remains
constant and is
always directed
downward.
Horizontal Motion (x-
component) is constant;
vertical motion (y-
component) accelerates.
Projectile follows a parabolic
Remembe path.
r:
Both components of motion
are independent but occur
simultaneously.
• In the x-direction with
Kinematic constant acceleration:
Equations
for
Projectile
Motion:
• In the y-direction:
Kinematic
Equations
for
Projectile
Motion:
• The object’s velocity can be
calculated from the
components of the velocity
using the Pythagorean
theorem:
• The angle that the velocity
vector makes with the x-
axis is given by:
• Horizontal acceleration
thus velocity in the x-
direction is constant.
• Vertical motion follows
constant acceleration due
Remembe to gravity
r
• No Acceleration in the
horizontal direction, is
constant.
• Vertical Acceleration
equals (due to gravity)
Important • The displacement and
Facts velocity in the y-direction
behave like a freely falling
object.
Problem 1
• Problem: A ball is thrown so
that its initial vertical and
horizontal components of
velocity are 40 m/s and 20
m/s, respectively. Use a motion
to estimate the ball’s total
time of flight and the distance
it traverse before hitting the
ground.
• Use the diagram estimating
the acceleration of gravity
as -10 m/By symmetry, the
ball goes up and comes back
down to the ground at the
same y-velocity as when it
left, except with the
Strategy opposite sign. With this fact
and the fact that the
acceleration of gravity
decreases the velocity in the
y-direction by 10m/s every
second, we can find the total
time of flight and then the
horizontal range.
• Horizontal Motion (x-direction)
• No acceleration:
• Horizontal velocity remains
constant:
• Vertical Motion (y-direction)
Solution • Acceleration due to gravity:
• Initial vertical velocity:
• Use the equation to
calculate the time it takes
for the projectile to reach
the peak.
Finding • At the peak, the vertical
velocity is
the time
of flight
• The total time to reach the
peak is 2 seconds.
Calculatio
n
• The time to rise to the
peak is the same as the
time to fall back down. So,
the total time of the flight
is:
Total time • Total time of flight = 2 x 2s
of flight = 4s
• Since the horizontal velocity us
constant, we can calculate the
horizontal displacement using:
Finding the
Horizontal
Displacemen
t
• To find the maximum
height, use the vertical
displacement equation for
the upward motion:
Height of
the • )(
• = 40 m – 20 m
projectile
• = 20 m
Try to solve on
your own
• An Alaskan rescue plane drops a
package of emergency rations to
stranded hikers. The plane is
travelling horizontally at 40 m/s at a
height of 1.00x1m above the ground.
• Where does the package strike the
ground relative to the point at which
it was released?
• What are horizontal and vertical
components of the velocity of the
package just before it hits the
ground?
• Find the angle of the impact.

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Understanding the

The path is parabolic

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