Projectile motion

Specification
Independent effect of motion in horizontal and vertical directions of a uniform gravitational
field.
Problems will be solvable using the equations of uniform acceleration.

 
 Projectile motion

This section is devoted to understanding the motion of projectiles

A projectile is an object upon which the only

force acting is gravity

An object
dropped from And an object
rest (or thrown which is thrown
down with an upward at an
initial velocity) is angle to the
a projectile horizontal is also
(provided that the a projectile
influence of air (provided that
resistance is An object that is thrown vertically the influence of
negligible) upward is also a projectile air resistance is
(provided that the influence of air negligible)
resistance is negligible)
 Projectile motion

An object dropped from

rest (or thrown down with We only need to
an initial velocity) is a consider motion in
projectile (provided that 1-Direction: vertically
the influence of air
resistance is negligible) If it is dropped from
rest then the initial
velocity, u = 0 ms-1

The motion is in the

direction of the
acceleration:
a = g = +9.81 ms-2
 Projectile motion

An object that is thrown vertically We only need to

upward is also a projectile consider motion in
(provided that the influence of air 1-Direction: vertically
resistance is negligible) (up and down)

At the maximum
height, smax, the
velocity, v = 0 ms-1

The motion is initially

in the opposite
direction of the
acceleration:
a = g = -9.81 ms-2
 Projectile motion

An object that is thrown vertically We only need to consider

upward is also a projectile and motion in 1-Direction:
drops beyond the point it was vertically (up and down and
released (provided that the past the ground level)
influence of air resistance is
At the maximum height, smax,
negligible) the velocity, v = 0 ms-1
The velocity, v, when the ball
has reached the initial position,
s = 0 is the same as the initial
velocity, u

The motion is initially in the

opposite direction of the
acceleration:
a = g = -9.81 ms-2
 Projectile motion
Option 1:
Problem: Calculate the time and distance
A man stands on the edge of the for the journey to the top,
cliff and throws a stone vertically Assume it is being dropped
upwards at 15ms-1. After what from the top at rest with a new
time will the stone hit the ground value for s: distance to the top
20m below? + 20m, and calculate the time
Add both times together
The answer is ~4s, you work it
out! Option 2:
Calculate the time to travel all
the way up and back to its
original height, so s = 0m
Calculate the time from ground
a = g = -9.81 ms- level to 20m assuming it was
2 dropped with initial speed the
At the maximum height, same as the original speed
smax , the velocity, v = 0 ms-1
 Projectile motion

A golfer hit ball A. It took 5 seconds to land in the position shown.

He then hit ball B with less force. How long did it take to land in its position?
a. 4 seconds
b. 5 seconds
c. 6 seconds

B A
 Projectile motion

Projectiles in 2 directions
Horizontally and vertically
 Package drop
The package follows a parabolic path and remains directly
below the plane at all times
The vertical velocity changes (faster, faster)
The horizontal velocity is constant!
 Projectile motion

The vertical velocity changes (faster, faster)

The horizontal velocity is constant!
 Projectile motion

The time taken for the Notice that if air

object to reach the ground resistance is
along the parabolic path is ignored the
the same as if it were vertical height of
dropped vertically. the object at given
  times after the
The parabolic path for an start is the same
object projected no matter what
horizontally is shown in the horizontal
diagram velocity it had at
  the moment of
  release.
 A parcel is released from an aircraft travelling horizontally at a speed of
120ms-1 above level ground.
The parcel hits the ground 8.5 seconds later. Calculate:
a. The height of the aircraft above the ground
b. The horizontal distance travelled in this time by i) the parcel, ii) the aircraft
c. The speed of impact of the parcel on the ground.

a. Taking vertical motion s = ½ gt2

2
s = ½ x 9.8 x 8.5 = 354 m

b. Taking horizontal motion s=vxt

s = 120 x 8.5 = 1020m
This is the distance travelled by the aircraft and the parcel
c. Taking vertical motion g = v/t
vertical speed v = 9.8 x 8.5 = 83.3 ms-1
Horizontal speed = 120 ms-1
(resultant speed)2 = 83.32 + 1202 Resultant speed = 146 ms-1
 2. An object is projected horizontally at a speed of 16ms-1 into the sea
from a cliff top of height 45.0m. Calculate:
a. How long it takes to reach the sea
16ms-1
b. How far it travels horizontally
c. Its impact vertical velocity.
45.0m
a. Taking vertical motion
s= ½ gt2
45 = ½ x 9.8 x t2
t=3s
b. Taking horizontal motion
s=vxt
s = 16 x 3 = 48m

c. The vertical motion

g = v/t v = gt
v = 9.8 x 3 = 29.4 ms-1
 3. A dart is thrown horizontally along a line passing through the centre of
a dartboard, 2.3 m away from the point at which the dart was released.
The dart hits the dartboard at a point 0.19m below the centre. Calculate:
a. The time of flight of the dart
b. Its horizontal speed of projection.

a. Taking vertical motion 2.3 m

s= ½ gt2
0.19 = ½ x 9.8 x t2
t = 0.197 s = 0.2 s

a. Taking horizontal motion

s=vxt v = s/t
v = 2.3/0.197 = 11.7 ms-1
Physics Support Materials
Higher Mechanics and Properties of Matter Equations of Motion
43
A box is released from a plane travelling with a horizontal velocity of 300 m s-1
and at a height of 300 m. Find:
a) how long it takes the box to hit the ground
Consider the vertical motion of the box
Down is the positive direction
1
s = ut + at 2
s = 300 m 2
1
v=? 300 = 0 × t + × 9.8 × t 2
2
u = 0 m s -1
300 = 4.9 × t 2
a = 9.8 m s -2 300
t =? t2 = = 61.2
4.9
t = 7.8 s Click the mouse to
Physics Support Materials
Higher Mechanics and Properties of Matter Equations of Motion
43 continued
A box is released from a plane travelling with a horizontal velocity of
300 m s-1 and at a height of 300 m. Find:
b) the horizontal distance between the point of impact and the release point
Consider the horizontal motion of the
box
s s = v ×t s = 300 × 7.8
v=
t s = 2340 m
c) the position of the plane relative to the box at the time of impact
The box and the plane have the same horizontal motion
(constant speed), so they travel the distance horizontally as the
box falls. At impact, the plane is vertically above the box.

Click the mouse to

Physics Support Materials
Higher Mechanics and Properties of Matter Equations of Motion
44
A projectile is fired horizontally from the edge of a cliff at 12 m s-1 and hits
the sea 60 m away. Find:
a) the time of flight 12 m s-
1
b) the height of the starting point above the sea level

Sea
60
m
Consider the horizontal motion of the projectile

s s 60
v= t= t= = 5s
t v 12

Click the mouse to

Physics Support Materials
Higher Mechanics and Properties of Matter Equations of Motion
44 continued
A projectile is fired horizontally from the edge of a cliff at 12 m s-1 and hits
the sea 60 m away. Find:
b) the height of the starting point above the sea level
12 m s-
1
Consider the vertical motion of the projectile
Down is the positive direction
Sea
s=? 1 2 60
s = ut + at m
v=? 2
1
u = 0 m s -1 s = 0 × 5 + × 9.8 × 52
2
a = 9.8 m s -2
t = 5s s = 122.5 m

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Physics Support Materials
Higher Mechanics and Properties of Matter Equations of Motion
45
A ball is projected horizontally at 15 m s-1 from the top of a vertical cliff. It
reaches the horizontal ground 45 m from the foot of the cliff.
a) Draw graphs, giving appropriate numerical values of the ball’s
i) horizontal speed against time
Calculating the time of flight:
Consider the horizontal motion of the projectile
v / m s-1
s s
v= t= 1
t v 5
1
45 0
t= = 3s 5
15
0
1 2 3 t/s

Click the mouse to

Physics Support Materials
Higher Mechanics and Properties of Matter Equations of Motion
45 continued
A ball is projected horizontally at 15 m s-1 from the top of a vertical cliff. It
reaches the horizontal ground 45 m from the foot of the cliff.
a) Draw graphs, giving appropriate numerical values of the ball’s
ii) vertical speed against time

Consider the vertical motion of the projectile

Calculating the final vertical velocity:
s=? v = u + at v / m s-1

v=? 3
v = 0 + 9.8 × 3 0
u = 0 m s -1 v = 29.4 m s -1 2
0
a = 9.8 m s -2 1
0
t = 3s 0
1 2 3 t/s

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Physics Support Materials
Higher Mechanics and Properties of Matter Equations of Motion
45 continued
A ball is projected horizontally at 15 m s-1 from the top of a vertical cliff. It
reaches the horizontal ground 45 m from the foot of the cliff.
b) Use a vector diagram to find the velocity of the ball 2 s after its projection.

After 2 s the horizontal velocity is 15 m s-1

After 2 s the vertical velocity is 20 m s-1
15 m s-1
θ v2 = 152 + 202 20
sin θ = = 0 .8
v2 = 625 25
v
20 m s-1 v = 25 m s-1 θ = 53o

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