Physics Study Notes Lesson 6 Projectile Motion

0 Introduction
a. Projection Motion: Projectile motion is a nonlinear motion that follows the curved path. The
projectile curve is a combination of a constant-velocity horizontal motion and accelerated vertical
motion.
b. The velocity of a projectile at any instant has two independent components of motion, and they
don’t affect each other. The only common thing links them together is the time.

1 Projectile Motion
a. Projectiles: A cannonball shot from a cannon, a
stone thrown into the air, a ball rolling of the edge
of a table, a spacecraft circling Earth— all of these
are examples of projectile.
b. Projectile motion: When an object is thrown or
lunched with initial velocity near Earth’s surface, it
experiences a constant vertical gravitational force
and thereafter travels in a trajectory subject only to
the force of gravity. Motion under these conditions
is called projectile motion.
c. The study of projectile motion is simplified because
the motion can be treated as two mutually
independent, perpendicular motions, one horizontal
and the other vertical.
d. The horizontal component of motion for a
projectile is at constant speed. It is like a rolling
ball moving freely along a level surface. When
friction is neglectable, the ball moves at
constant velocity. The ball covers equal 45 m
distances in equal intervals of time. 20 m
5m
e. The vertical component of motion for a
projectile is like a free falling object. There is a 1s 2s
downward acceleration. The vertical component
0s
of velocity changes with time and causes a 3s
greater distance to be covered in each
successive equal time interval. 0s

f. For horizontally lunched projectiles, the time

they take to reach the ground are only 5m
determined by the vertical motions, and nothing 1s
to do with the horizontal velocities. So, they
20 m
will all take the same time to reach the ground.
g. The horizontal component of motion for a
2s 45 m
projectile is completely independent of the
vertical component of motion. The only
common factor links them together is the time. 3s
h. The path traced by a projectile accelerating only
in the vertical direction while moving at
constant horizontal velocity is a parabola.
i. Reflection Question: Mathematically prove that the trajectory of a projectile is actually a
parabola (i.e., a quadratic equation).

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Physics Study Notes Lesson 6 Projectile Motion

2 Upwardly Launched Projectiles

a. No gravity: A cannonball shot from a cannon at an upward angle. If there is no gravity, the
cannon ball will follow the straight-line path shown by the dashed line.
b. With gravity: The cannon ball will continually fall beneath this imaginary dashed line until it hits
the ground. The vertical distance it falls beneath any point on the dashed line is the same vertical
distance it would fall if it were dropped from rest and had been falling for the same amount of
time. The falling distance can be calculated by the following formula (assume g = 10 m/s2)
1 2
d= gt = 5t 2
2
c. Horizontal velocity: Since the cannon ball has no horizontal acceleration, the horizontal
component of velocity is always the same. The cannon ball moves equal distance in equal time
€interval. The only acceleration is the vertical acceleration due to gravity. The traveling distance
can be calculated by the following formula
d = vt
d. Downward launched projectile: If the cannon were aimed downward instead of upward, the
projectile displacements below the dashed line would be no difference.
e. € Vector representation: The horizontal component and vertical components of velocity for a
projectile on a parabolic path are shown in the graph. The horizontal component is always the
same, and that only the vertical
component changes. The
resultant velocity vector is
maximized at both ends and is
a minimum at the top of the
path. The velocity at the top of
the path is equal to the
horizontal component of
velocity. o
75
f. Launching angles: When a projectile is launching at same
speed but at different angles, the projectile will reach
different vertical heights and travel different horizontal
distances (horizontal ranges). When the launching angle is 60o 45o
45o, the projectile will reach its maximum horizontal range.
The same range can be obtained by two different angles— θ
30o
and (90o – θ ). The projectile with smaller angle will remain in
the air for a shorter time. 15o

Proof: Assume v is the initial speed of the projectile

θ is the initial angle of the projectile
vx is the horizontal component of v
vy is the vertical component of v
d is the horizontal range of the projectile
Then, use vector resolution and formulas of motion, we got:
⎧v x = v cos θ …………(1)
⎨
⎩v y = v sin θ …………(2)
⎧⎪ d = v x t………………(3)
⎨
⎪⎩0 = v y t − 21 gt 2 ………(4)

Bases on (4) and solve for t, we got:

€
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Physics Study Notes Lesson 6 Projectile Motion

t(v y − 21 gt) = 0
2v y
t = 0 or t =
g
2v y
So, t = …………(5)
g
€ (5), (1) & (2) all plug into (3), and apply the double angle formula, then,
2v 2v sin θ 2v 2 sin θ cos θ v 2 (2 sin θ cosθ ) v 2
d = v x ( y ) = (v cos θ )( )= = = sin 2θ
€ g g g g g
2
So, d = v sin 2θ ……………(6)
g
€ Since v and g are both constants, and the value of sine function is between [–1, 1],
for d to have maximum value, we need to make sin2θ = 1, i.e., 2θ = 90o or θ = 45o.
€ 2
So, when θ = 45o,the horizontal range is maximum and the value is d = v .
g
2
Since d = v sin 2θ , if we replace θ by ( π − θ ) , then
g 2
v2 π v2 v2 €
d= sin 2( − θ ) = sin( π − 2θ ) = sin 2θ ,
g 2 g g
€
€ So, the same range can be obtained by two different angles— θ and (90o – θ ).
g. Falling speed: For a projectile, the rising speed is the same as the falling speed. Only the direction
€is opposite.
h. Air resistance: When there is air resistance, the path of a projectile is
no longer a parabola. For example, a batted baseball will travel only
about 60% as far as in air as it would in a vacuum.

3 Fast-Moving Projectiles— Satellites

a. Falling distance: A cannonball shot horizontally
from a cannon will follow the straight-line path if
there is no gravity. But there is gravity and the
ball falls below the straight-line path. The falling
distances in certain time period are all the same for different horizontal speeds.
b. Fast-moving projectiles: When the cannonball is very fast, the curvature of Earth came into play.
If it were shot fast enough so that its curved path matched the curve of Earth’s surface, the ball
would fall around Earth and become an Earth satellite (assume there is no air resistance).
c. Satellite speed: At 8 km/s, a projectile will travel fast enough to orbit Earth. Unfortunately, the air
friction will burn any projectile at such speed. That’s why satellites will be launched to altitude
above 150 km to be free from the air resistance.

4 Projectile Motion Example Problems

For all the following problems, assume the air resistance can be neglected. The acceleration due to
gravity is g.

a. A cannon ball was launched from a level ground with velocity v at angle θ and fell back to the
ground. Find (a) the maximum height h it will reach, (b) the flying time t of the cannon ball, (c)
the horizontal distance d it will reach, and (d) the final velocity vf right before hitting the ground.

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Physics Study Notes Lesson 6 Projectile Motion

b. A cannon ball was launched horizontally with velocity v from a cliff of height h and fell to the
ground below the cliff. Find (a) the flying time t of the cannon ball, (b) the horizontal distance d it
will reach, and (c) the final velocity vf right before hitting the ground.

c. A cannon ball was launched upward from a cliff of height h with velocity v at angle θ and fell to
the ground below the cliff. Find (a) the maximum height k it will reach, (b) the flying time t of the
cannon ball, (c) the horizontal distance d it will reach, and (d) the final velocity vf right before
hitting the ground.

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