PROJECTILE MOTION (MOTION IN 2
DIMENSIONS)
A projectile is any object thrown into space
upon which the only acting force is gravity.
Projectile motion is a two-dimensional motion
in which an object is thrown at some angle
with respect to the horizontal axis.
Trajectory is a curved path through which the
projectile travels.
Range (R) is the maximum distance covered by
the projectile in the horizontal direction.
Types of trajectories
1. An object falling off a cliff
Uy = 0
Noted that acceleration only exists in the
vertical direction for a projectile motion:
ay = –g = –9.80 m/s2 and ax = 0
Range in the x-direction (ax = 0)
R= d= Vxt Vx=Ux (the velocity is constant
throughout)
Height in y-direction (ay = –g )
1
S= ut + at2
2
1
hy= uyt + ayt2 uy = 0
2
𝟏
h= ayt2
𝟐
𝟏
h= gt2
𝟐
Speed of the object at any time t
Vy= uy + ayt uy = 0
Vy= ayt
Vy= gt , Vx= ux
Final speed of the object just before hitting
the ground
V= √𝑽𝒙 𝟐 + 𝑽𝒚 𝟐
Direction or angle of the object upon reaching
the ground
𝜽= tan-1(𝑽𝒚 ⁄𝑽𝒙 )
2. An object launched at an angle
The initial velocity u has 2 components:
ux= u cos𝜽
uy= u sin𝜽
Time taken from O-A or to reach maximum
height
V= u+at
Vy=uy+ayt, Vy= 0, uy = u sin𝜽
0 = u sin𝜽-gt
𝒖𝐬𝐢𝐧𝜃
tmax=
𝒈
Total time for the motion O-B
t= 2tmax
𝟐𝒖𝐬𝐢𝐧𝜃
tOB =
𝒈
Maximum height from O-A
v2= u2+ 2as
𝑣𝑦2 = 𝑢𝑦2 + 2aysy , uy= 0
0 = 𝑢𝑦2 + 2aysy ay= -g, sy= h
0 = (u sin𝜽)2 – 2gh
𝒗𝟐 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝟐 𝜃
h=
𝟐𝒈
The range (horizontal displacement)
2𝑢sin𝜽
R= uxtOB ux= u cos𝜽 , tOB =
𝑔
2𝑢sin𝜽
= (u cos) ( )
𝑔
𝑢2 (2cos𝜽sin𝜽)
= but sin2𝜽= 2cos𝜽sin𝜽
𝑔
𝒖𝟐 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝟐𝜃
R=
𝒈
Speed of the object at time t
Vy= uy + ayt , V x = ux
Vy= u sin𝜃- gt
Final speed of the object just before hitting
the ground
V= √𝑽𝒙 𝟐 + 𝑽𝒚 𝟐
Direction or angle of the object upon reaching
the ground
𝜽= tan-1(𝑽𝒚 ⁄𝑽𝒙 )
EXAMPLES
1. A slate is projected horizontally from a
building roof, which is 6.5m above the ground.
It hits the ground after travelling a horizontal
displacement 4.2m from where it was
projected. Calculate or find:
a) The time that the slate is in flight.
b) The horizontal velocity that the slate is
projected with.
2. At a funfair, a prize is awarded if a coin is tossed,
into a small dish. The dish is mounted on a shelf
above the ground as shown below. A contestant
projects the coin with a speed of 7.0 ms-1 at angle of
60 o to the horizontal. When the coin leaves his hand,
the horizontal distance between the coin and the dish
in 2.8m. The coin lands in the dish. The effect of air
friction on the coin may be neglected.
a) Calculate the horizontal and vertical
components of the initial velocity of the coin.
b) Show that the time taken for the coin to reach
the dish is 0.6 seconds.
c) What is the height, h, of the shelf above the
point where the coin leaves the contestant’s
hand?
d) Calculate the final speed the coin lands with in
the dish.
3. A projectile starting from the ground hits a
target on the ground located at a distance of
1200 meters after 45 seconds.
a) At what initial velocity was the projectile
launched?
b) What is the size of the angle θ?
THE END
