Projectile Motion
YouTube - BAXTER!!!!
Amazing facts!
If a gun is fired horizontally, and at the
same time a bullet is dropped from the
same height. They both hit the ground at
the same time.
Amazing facts!
Amazing facts!
Amazing facts!
Amazing facts!
Mr Porter can demonstrate
this for you.
Amazing facts!
Why?
Vertical and horizontal
Their vertical motion can be considered
separate from their horizontal motion.
Vertical and horizontal
Vertically, they both have zero initial
velocity and accelerate downwards at 9.8
m.s-2. The time to fall the same vertical
distance is therefore the same.
Watch that dog!
Imagine a dog being kicked horizontally off the
top of a cliff (with an initial velocity vh).
vh
Parabola
Assuming that there is negligible air
resistance, he falls in the path of a parabola.
Parabola
Parabola
Why?
Why a parabola?
We can consider his motion to be the sum of
his horizontal motion and vertical motion.
vh
We can treat these separately
Horizontal motion
Assuming no air resistance, there are no
horizontal forces.
vh
This means horizontally
the dog moves with
constant speed vh
Horizontal distance travelled (x) = vht
Vertical motion
Assuming no air resistance, there is constant
force downwards (=mg).
This means vertically the
dog moves with constant
acceleration g = 9.8 m.s-2
Vertical distance travelled (y) = uvt + ½gt2
Parabolic motion
Since y = ½gt2 (if u = 0) and x = vht,
y = ½gx2/vh2 which you may (!) recognize as
the formula of a parabola.
Another piece of ultra
cool physics!
Example
A dog is kicked off the
top of a cliff with an initial
5 m.s-1 horizontal velocity of 5
m.s-1. If the cliff is 30 m
high, how far from the
cliff bottom will the dog
hit the ground?
30 m
Example
Looking at vertical motion
first:
5 m.s-1 u = 0, a = 9.8 m.s-2, s = 30 m, t = ?
s = ut + ½at2
30 = ½ x 9.8 x t2
t2 = 6.1
30 m
t = 2.47 s
The dog hits the ground after
2.47 seconds (yes!)
Example
Now look at horizontal motion:
Constant speed (horizontally) = 5 m.s-1
5 m.s-1 Time of fall = 2.47 seconds
Horizontal distance travelled = speed x time
Horizontal distance travelled = 5 x 2.47
30 m = 12.4 m
The dog hits the ground 12.4
metres from the base of the
cliff
Parabola
12.4 metres
What is the dog’s speed as he hits
the ground?
To answer this it is
easier to think in terms of
5 m.s-1 the dog’s total energy
(kinetic and potential)
30 m
What is the dog’s speed as he hits
the ground?
Total energy at top = ½mv2 + mgh
5 m.s-1
Total energy = ½m(5)2 + mx9.8x30
Total energy = 12.5m + 294m = 306.5m
30 m
What is the dog’s speed as he hits
the ground?
At the bottom, all the potential energy has
been converted to kinetic energy. All the dog’s
energy is now kinetic.
energy = ½mv2
V=?
What is the dog’s speed as he hits
the ground?
energy at top = energy at bottom
306.5m = ½mv2
306.5 = ½v2
613 = v2
V = 24.8 m.s-1
(Note that this is the dog’s
speed as it hits the ground,
not its velocity.
v = 24.8 m.s-1
Let’s try some
questions.
Page 139 Questions
1, 2, 3 and 4.
Starting with non-horizontal motion
Woof!
(help)
Starting with non-horizontal motion
25 m.s-1
30°
Starting with non-horizontal motion
1. Split the initial velocity into vertical and
horizontal components
vh = 25cos30°
vv = 25sin30°
25 m.s-1
30°
Starting with non-horizontal motion
2. Looking at the vertical motion, when the
dog hits the floor, displacement = 0
Initial vertical velocity = vv = 25sin30°
Acceleration = - 9.8 m.s-2
25 m.s-1
30°
Starting with non-horizontal motion
3. Using s = ut + ½at2
0 = 25sin30°t + ½(-9.8)t2
0 = 12.5t - 4.75t2
0 = 12.5 – 4.75t
4.75t = 12.5
-1
25 m.s t = 12.5/4.75 = 2.63 s
30°
Starting with non-horizontal motion
4. Looking at horizontal motion
Ball in flight for t = 2.63 s travelling with
constant horizontal speed of
vh = 25cos30° = 21.7 m.s-1.
Distance travelled = vht = 21.7x2.63 = 57.1m
30° 57.1m
Starting with non-horizontal motion
5. Finding maximum height? Vertically;
v = 0, u = 25sin30°, t = 2.63/2
s = (u + v)t = 12.5x1.315 = 8.2m
2 2
30°
Starting with non-horizontal motion
6. Don’t forget some problems can also be
answered using energy.
30°
Starting with non-horizontal motion
6. Don’t forget some problems can also be
answered using energy.
As dog is fired total energy = ½m(25)2
25 m.s-1
30°
Starting with non-horizontal motion
6. At the highest point,
total energy = KE + GPE
=½m(25cos30°)2 + mgh
As dog is fired total energy = ½m(25)2
30°
Starting with non-horizontal motion
6. So ½m(25cos30°)2 + mgh = ½m(25)2
½(21.65)2 + 9.8h = ½(25)2
234.4 + 9.8h = 312.5
9.8h = 78.1
h = 8.0 m
30°
Let’s try some
harder questions.
Page 140
Questions 10, 11,
12, 19.
Investigation
