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What is
projectile motion?
"A projectile is an object that moves in two dimensions under the influence of only gravity."
Physics for Scientists and Engineers (p. 85).
In projectile motion problems, air resistance is considered negotiable and the motion of the
projectile is a parabolic path. This is the objects trajectory.
The initial thrust of the object is known as the launch. The angle of initial velocity above the
horizontal is known as the launch angle.
"A projectile is an object that moves in two dimensions under the influence of only gravity."
Physics for Scientists and Engineers (p. 85).
In projectile motion problems, air resistance is considered negotiable and the motion of the
projectile is a parabolic path. This is the objects trajectory.
The initial thrust of the object is known as the launch. The angle of initial velocity above the
horizontal is known as the launch angle.
Above is a
graph that shows the initial velocity, its components, the
launch angle, and the
parabolic trajectory.
"projectile motion is made up of two independent motions: uniform motion at constant
velocity in the horizontal direction and free-fall motion in the vertical direction."
Physics for Scientists and Engineers (ch.4).
parabolic trajectory.
"projectile motion is made up of two independent motions: uniform motion at constant
velocity in the horizontal direction and free-fall motion in the vertical direction."
Physics for Scientists and Engineers (ch.4).
The
equations above are for projectile motion where the
initial position is zero in both the
x and y directions, the acceleration in the x direction is zero. Note the only connection
between the two equations is time, otherwise the equations are independent of each other.
In order to solve projectile motion equations solve for t in the y direction equations and
plug the found values based off given values into the x direction equations.
In projectile motion the distance an object travels in known as the range.
Example:
What is the distance a ball travels if a baseball player throws the ball with an initial speed
of 45 m/s with a launch angle of 45 degrees.
x and y directions, the acceleration in the x direction is zero. Note the only connection
between the two equations is time, otherwise the equations are independent of each other.
In order to solve projectile motion equations solve for t in the y direction equations and
plug the found values based off given values into the x direction equations.
In projectile motion the distance an object travels in known as the range.
Example:
What is the distance a ball travels if a baseball player throws the ball with an initial speed
of 45 m/s with a launch angle of 45 degrees.