Projectile motion
Introduction
• Anyone who has observed a baseball in motion has observed projectile motion
• The ball moves in a curved path, and its motion is under two assumptions
(a)The free-fall acceleration g is constant over the range of motion and is directed
downward
• This assumption is applicable as long as the range of motion is small compared
with the radius of the Earth ()
• In general , this assumption is equivalent to assuming that the Earth is flat over
the range of motion considered.
(b) The effect of air resistance is negligible
• This assumption is generally not justified, especially at high velocities
Note:
• Using these assumptions, we find that the path of a projectile, which we call its
trajectory, is always a parabola
Cont.…
Qn: What is Projectile motion?
• A projectile motion is the motion of the body under the influence of
acceleration due to gravity when air resistance is ignored
Qn: What is projectile?
• Is any object or body that moves under the influence of gravity only
• Also it can be defined as any object that undergoing projectile motion
Qn: What are the examples of projectile motion?
Missile fired from the gun
A bomb released from the air plane
A body dropped from a window of moving train
An athletes doing high jump
Cricket ball thrown in any direction
Cont...
• A projectile motion is the two • Generally; we can conclude that in
dimensional motion that is motion in order to treat an object undergoing the
horizontal and vertical directions projectile motion we should assume
• Once the projectile is projected at an the following points
angle, it move in both two directions Effect due to air resistance is
that are in horizontal and vertical neglected
directions Acceleration due to gravity is kept
• At any time the velocity of the constant in vertical motion but is
projectile maybe resolved into two assumed to be zero for horizontal
components which are horizontal and motion
vertical components of velocity Effect due to earth’s rotation is
• The horizontal component is constant neglected.
thought the motion, Due to the fact The earth’s surface is assumed to be
that acceleration due to gravity has no flat.
component
Cont.…
• Consider a body projected with initial velocity at ang angle ,Assuming that the
horizontal distance travelled by a body at any time to be
Cont.…
Case 01:Initially at time
Components of velocity
and
Resultant velocity
Then
Cont.…
Case 02: at any time
Components of velocity
From equation of motion
and
But
and
Then
and
But and
Now
and
Cont.…
Resultant velocity
Also for angle projected
Hence
Also for their distance moved in both vertically and horizontally
From
Second equation of motion
Cont.…
Second equation of motion
For vertical distance
If and
Then
For horizontal distance
If and
Then
Definition of some terminologies
Maximum height
• Is the maximum vertical distance to which the projectile rises above the origin or
launching point
Mathematically
Let be the maximum height
At maximum height
From third equation of motion
For vertical motion
But and
Then
Cont.…
Then
Hence
Time taken to reach the maximum height
• Is the time taken by the projectile to reach the maximum height
From first equation of motion
If and
At maximum height
Cont.…
Then
Time of flight
• Is the total time elapsing launching point to the time where projectile return to
the ground again
• Also, it can be defined as the total time taken by the projectile to remain in air
before it returning to the original position
Assuming time of flight to be
Second equation of motion
For vertical motion
If , and
Cont.…
Then
ANGLE OF PROJECTION
• Is the angle that initial velocity makes with horizontal
RANGE
• Is the horizontal displacement between the of point of projection and the target
• Also it may be defined as the horizontal distance travelled by the projectile
• It will be attained at with the time of flight
Second equation of motion
Cont.…
For horizontal motion
If ,and
Then
If
Now
Hence
Recall from the concept compound angles
Cont.…
• We can conclude that range is affected by two factors that are
(a)Initial speed of projectile
(b)Angle of projection
Note:
• When a projectile is projected at different angles with the horizontal, the ranges
covered are different according to the angles projected
• However there is a single angle for which the range is greatest and this angle is
called angle for maximum range as shown on the figure
Cont.…
From range
If and are constants
let then
Since the value of for maximum Range
Now
at
Then
Hence
Cont.…
Consider
Cont.…
Trajectory
• Is the path described or followed by the body undergoing projectile motion
• Therefore the trajectory of projectile motion is always a parabola with the
general equation
• Assuming x is the horizontal distance and y is the vertical distance
• In order to show that the path is parabola we should combine the x and y
components of motion
For horizontal motion
If , and
Then
………..(ii)
Cont.…
For vertical motion
If , and
Then
………(ii)
Substitute equation (i) into equation (ii)
Then
Leting and
This is parabolic equation
Relationship between maximum height and range
From
………..(i) and ………..(ii)
Take equation (i) divide by equation (ii)
Then
Or
Practice questions
Qn: A ball is kicked with a muzzle velocity of 60m/s at 60o to the horizontal.
Calculate:
i. Initial horizontal and vertical components of velocity
ii. Velocity of the ball and its direction 10 seconds after it was kicked.
iii. Find position of the ball 10s after it was kicked
Qn: A ball is thrown with an initial velocity, Vo of 48 m/s directed at an angle
Ө, of 37o with the vertical. Find: -
iv. The x – and y – components of Vo
v. The position of the ball and the magnitude and direction of its velocity
when t = 2 seconds.
vi. The highest point of the ball and the time taken to reach there.
vii. The range of the ball
Cont.…
Qn: How far will a stone travel horizontally over level of ground if it thrown
upward at angle 30° with horizontal and with a speed of 12m/s. What is the
maximum range?
Qn: The equation of trajectory of an object is .What is the initial velocity and
the angle of projection of a projectile?
Special cases of projectile motion
Case 01: A Body thrown Upwards and Reaches a Destination that is higher than
the Origin
Consider
• Since the body is projected upwards against gravity then
• Suppose the displacement covered in the direction of throw of the body be h
Cont.…
For vertical motion
If , and
Then
For horizontal motion
If , and
Then
Questions
Qn: A ball is thrown towards a vertical wall from a point 2m above the ground and
3m from the wall. The initial velocity of the ball is 20m/s at an angle 30o above the
horizontal. How long will the ball take to hit the wall and at what height from the
ground?
Qn: A body is projected with a velocity 40m/s. After 2 seconds it crosses a vertical
pole of height 20.4m. Calculate the angle of projection and the horizontal range
Cont.…
Case 02: A Body Thrown Upwards from the top of a cliff at an angle θ to horizontal
Consider
• Since the body is projected upwards against gravity
• Suppose the displacement, h is covered (downwards) opposite to the direction
of throw of the body, then;
Cont.…
For vertical motion
If , and
Then
For horizontal motion
If , and
Then
Questions
Qn: A ball is kicked with a muzzle velocity of 40 m/s at 30o to the horizontal from
top of a cliff that is 20 m high. Calculate: -
a) Time taken by the ball to reach the ground
b) Distance from the foot of the cliff to a point where the ball hits the ground.
Qn: A bullet is fired from a gun on the top of a cliff 140 m high with a velocity of
150 m/s at an elevation of 30o to the horizontal. Find the horizontal distance from
the roof of a cliff to the point where the bullet lands on the ground
Cont.…
Case 03: A body thrown horizontally
Consider
• In this case, the angle of projection is zero ,this means that, and
• Again, since horizontal is neither upward nor downwards, then we can generally
say that and
Cont.…
For vertical motion
If , and
Then
since
For horizontal motion
If , and
Then
Questions
1. A package of medical supplies is released from a small plane flying over an
isolated jungle settlement. The plane flies horizontally with a speed of 20 m/s
at an altitude of 20 m. Where will the package strike the ground?
2. A stone is projected horizontally with velocity of 3.0 m/s from the top of a
vertical cliff 200 m high. Calculate: -
a) The time it takes to reach the ground
b) Its distance from the foot of the cliff
c) Its vertical and horizontal components of velocity when it hits the ground
Cont.…
Case 04: A body thrown at an angle below the horizontally
Consider
• Since the body is projected downwards in the direction of gravity
• Suppose the displacement, h is covered (downwards) in the direction of thrown
body
Cont.…
For vertical motion
If , and
Then
For horizontal motion
If , and
Then
Kudu-kudulia umande....masika
hayakuduliwi
END!!
