Projectile Motion

What is projectile?

Projectile -Any object which projected by some

means and continues to move due to its own
inertia (mass).
Projectiles move in TWO dimensions
Since a projectile
moves in 2-
dimensions, it
therefore has 2
components just
like a resultant
vector.
 Horizontal and
Vertical
Horizontal “Velocity” Component

 NEVER changes, covers equal displacements in

equal time periods. This means the initial
horizontal velocity equals the final horizontal
velocity

In other words, the horizontal

velocity is CONSTANT. BUT
WHY?

Gravity DOES NOT work

horizontally to increase or
decrease the velocity.
Vertical “Velocity” Component
 Changes (due to gravity), does NOT cover
equal displacements in equal time periods.

Both the MAGNITUDE and DIRECTION change. As

the projectile moves up the MAGNITUDE
DECREASES and its direction is UPWARD. As it
moves down the MAGNITUDE INCREASES and the
direction is DOWNWARD.
Combining the Components
Together, these
components produce
what is called a
trajectory or path. This
path is parabolic in
nature.

Component Magnitude Direction

Horizontal Constant Constant
Vertical Changes Changes
 Horizontally Launched Projectiles
Projectiles which have NO upward trajectory and NO initial
VERTICAL velocity.
vox  vx  constant

voy  0 m / s
Horizontally Launched Projectiles
To analyze a projectile in 2 dimensions we need 2
equations. One for the “x” direction and one for
the “y” direction. And for this we use kinematic #2.

x  voxt  at
1 2
2
x  voxt y  1 gt 2
2
Remember, the velocity is Remember that since the
CONSTANT horizontally, so projectile is launched
that means the acceleration horizontally, the INITIAL
is ZERO! VERTICAL VELOCITY is
equal to ZERO.
Horizontally Launched Projectiles
Example: A plane traveling with What do I What I want to
a horizontal velocity of 100 know? know?
m/s is 500 m above the
ground. At some point the vox=100 m/s t=?
pilot decides to drop some
supplies to designated y = 500 m x=?
target below. (a) How long is
the drop in the air? (b) How voy= 0 m/s
far away from point where it
was launched will it land? g = -9.8 m/s/s

y  1 gt 2  500  1 (9.8)t 2
2 2
x  voxt  (100)(10.1)  1010 m
102.04  t 2  t  10.1 seconds
Vertically Launched Projectiles
NO Vertical Velocity at the top of the trajectory.

Vertical Vertical Velocity

Velocity increases on the
decreases way down,
on the way
upward Horizontal Velocity
is constant

Component Magnitude Direction

Horizontal Constant Constant
Vertical Decreases up, 0 Changes
@ top, Increases
down
Vertically Launched Projectiles
Since the projectile was launched at a angle, the
velocity MUST be broken into components!!!

vox  vo cos q
vo voy
voy  vo sin q
q
vox
Vertically Launched Projectiles
There are several
things you must
consider when doing
these types of
projectiles besides
using components. If
it begins and ends at
ground level, the “y”
displacement is
ZERO: y = 0
Vertically Launched Projectiles
You will still use kinematic #2, but YOU MUST use
COMPONENTS in the equation.

vo voy x  voxt y  voyt  1 gt 2

2
q
vox vox  vo cos q
voy  vo sin q
Example
A place kicker kicks a football with a velocity of 20.0 m/s
and at an angle of 53 degrees.
(a) How long is the ball in the air?
(b) How far away does it land?
(c) How high does it travel?

vox  vo cos q
vox  20 cos 53  12.04 m / s
voy  vo sin q
q  53
voy  20sin 53  15.97 m / s
Example
A place kicker kicks a What I know What I want
football with a to know
velocity of 20.0 m/s vox=12.04 m/s t=?
and at an angle of 53 voy=15.97 m/s x=?
degrees.
y=0 ymax=?
(a) How long is the ball
in the air? g = - 9.8
m/s/s

y  voy t  1 gt 2  0  (15.97)t  4.9t 2

2
15.97t  4.9t  15.97  4.9t
2

t  3.26 s
Example

A place kicker kicks a What I know What I want

football with a to know
velocity of 20.0 m/s vox=12.04 m/s t = 3.26 s
and at an angle of 53 voy=15.97 m/s x=?
degrees. y=0 ymax=?
(b) How far away does it g = - 9.8
land? m/s/s

x  voxt  (12.04)(3.26)  39.24 m

Example
What I know What I want
to know
A place kicker kicks a vox=12.04 m/s t = 3.26 s
football with a velocity voy=15.97 m/s x = 39.24 m
of 20.0 m/s and at an
angle of 53 degrees. y=0 ymax=?
g = - 9.8
(c) How high does it m/s/s
travel?
y  voy t  1 gt 2
2
CUT YOUR TIME IN HALF! y  (15.97)(1.63)  4.9(1.63) 2

y  13.01 m
Summary in two dimension

 Position r (t )  xiˆ  yˆj

 r x ˆ y ˆ
v 
 Average velocity avg
 i j  vavg , x iˆ  vavg , y ˆj
t t t
dx dy
 Instantaneous velocity v x  v y 
dt dt
 
 r dr dx ˆ dy ˆ
v (t )  lim   i j  v x iˆ  v y ˆj
t 0 t dt dt dt
dv x d 2 x d2y
dv y
 Acceleration ax   2 ay   2
dt dt dt dt
 
 v dv dvx ˆ dv y ˆ
a (t )  lim   i j  axiˆ  a y ˆj
t 0 t dt dt dt
  
 r (t), v (t ), and a (t ) are not necessarily same direction.

February 5-8, 2013

Motion in two dimensions
 Motions in each dimension are independent components
 Constant acceleration equations
      2
v  v0  at r  r  v0t  2 at
1

 Constant acceleration equations hold in each dimension

vx  v0 x  axt
x  x0  v0 x t  12 a x t 2
vx  v0 x  2ax ( x  x0 )
2 2
v y  v0 y  a y t
y  y0  v0 yt  12 a y t 2
v y  v0 y  2a y ( y  y0 )
2 2

 t = 0 beginning of the process;


 a  a xiˆ  a y ˆj where ax and ay are constant;
 
 Initial velocity v0  v0 xiˆ  v0 y ˆj initial displacement r0  x0iˆ  y0 ˆj;

February 5-8, 2013

Hints for solving problems
 Define coordinate system. Make sketch showing axes, origin.
 List known quantities. Find v0x , v0y , ax , ay , etc. Show initial
conditions on sketch.
 List equations of motion to see which ones to use.
 Time t is the same for x and y directions.
x0 = x(t = 0), y0 = y(t = 0), v0x = vx(t = 0), v0y = vy(t = 0).
 Have an axis point along the direction of a if it is constant.

vx  v0 x  axt
x  x0  v0 x t  12 a x t 2
vx  v0 x  2ax ( x  x0 )
2 2
v y  v0 y  a y t
y  y0  v0 yt  12 a y t 2
v y  v0 y  2a y ( y  y0 )
2 2

February 5-8, 2013

Projectile Motion
 2-D problem and define a coordinate
system: x- horizontal, y- vertical (up +)
 Try to pick x0 = 0, y0 = 0 at t = 0
 Horizontal motion + Vertical motion
 Horizontal: ax = 0 , constant velocity motion
 Vertical: ay = -g = -9.8 m/s2, v0y = 0
 Equations:
Horizontal Vertical

vx  v0 x  axt v y  v0 y  a y t
y f  yi  viyt  12 gt 2
x  x0  v0 x t  12 a x t 2 y  y0  v0 yt  12 a y t 2
vx  v0 x  2ax ( x  x0 ) v y 2  v0 y 2  2a y ( y  y0 )
2 2

February 5-8, 2013

Projectile Motion
 X and Y motions happen independently, so
we can treat them separately
vx  v0 x v y  v0 y  gt
x  x0  v0 xt y  y0  v0 yt  12 gt 2
Horizontal Vertical

 Try to pick x0 = 0, y0 = 0 at t = 0
 Horizontal motion + Vertical motion
 Horizontal: ax = 0 , constant velocity motion
 Vertical: ay = -g = -9.8 m/s2
 x and y are connected by time t
 y(x) is a parabola

February 5-8, 2013

Projectile Motion
 2-D problem and define a coordinate system.
 Horizontal: ax = 0 and vertical: ay = -g.
 Try to pick x0 = 0, y0 = 0 at t = 0.
 Velocity initial conditions:
 v0 can have x, y components.
 v0x is constant usually. v0 x  v0 cosq0
 v0y changes continuously. v0 x  v0 sin q 0
 Equations:
Horizontal Vertical

vx  v0 x v y  v0 y  gt
x  x0  v0 xt y  y0  v0 yt  12 gt 2

February 5-8, 2013

Trajectory of Projectile Motion
 Initial conditions (t = 0): x0 = 0, y0 = 0
v0x = v0 cosθ0 and v0y = v0 sinθ0
 Horizontal motion:
x
x  0  v0 x t  t
v0 x
 Vertical motion:
y  0  v0 yt  12 gt 2
2
 x  g x 
y  v0 y     
 v0 x  2  v0 x 
g
y  x tan q0  x 2

2v0 cos 2 q0
2

 Parabola;
 θ0 = 0 and θ0 = 90 ?

February 5-8, 2013

What is R and h ?
 Initial conditions (t = 0): x0 = 0, y0 = 0
v0x = v0 cosθ0 and v0x = v0 sinθ0, then
x  0  v0 xt 0  0  v0 yt  12 gt 2 h
2v0 y 2v0 sin q 0
t 
g g
2v cos q 0v0 sin q 0 v0 sin 2q 0
2
R  x  x0  v0 xt  0 
g g
2
t g  t 
h  y  y0  v0 y t h  12 gt h  v0 y   
2

2 2 2
Horizontal Vertical
v0 sin 2 q 0
2
h v y  v0 y  gt
2g vx  v0 x
2v0 y
v y  v0 y  gt  v0 y  g  v0 y x  x0  v0 xt y  y0  v0 yt  12 gt 2
g

February 5-8, 2013

Projectile Motion
at Various Initial Angles
 Complementary v0 sin 2
2

values of the initial R

angle result in the g
same range
 The heights will be
different
 The maximum range
occurs at a projection
angle of 45o

February 5-8, 2013