• The projectile motion is the combination of

horizontal motion with constant velocity and

vertical motion with constant acceleration.
• The horizontal component of projectile motion
(with respect to the x-axis) has an acceleration
equal to zero (𝑎𝑥=0) since the horizontal
component of the velocity of projectiles is
constant.
• On the other hand, the vertical component of
acceleration is constant which is equal to the

(𝑎𝑦= −𝑔). Hence, the equations of motion with

acceleration due to gravity of objects on earth

respect to x and y-axis becomes,

𝑥= 𝑥0+𝑣𝑜𝑥𝑡 and 𝑦=𝑦0+𝑣0𝑦𝑡 −
1/2𝑔𝑡 ,
2

for the positions

where:

𝑥0 - initial position along x

x – final position along x

𝑣𝑜𝑥 – initial velocity along the x-axis

𝑦0 - initial position along x

y – final position along y
𝑣𝑜𝑦 – initial velocity along the
y-axis
t – time
g – acceleration due to
gravity (9.81 m/s ) 2
𝑣𝑥= 𝑣𝑜𝑥 and 𝑣𝑦= 𝑣𝑜𝑦−𝑔𝑡,
for the velocities.

𝑣𝑥 – final velocity along the x-axis

where:

𝑣𝑜𝑥 – initial velocity along the x-axis

𝑣𝑦 – final velocity along the y-axis
𝑣𝑜𝑦 – initial velocity along the y-axis
t – time
g – acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s2)
Let us assume the initial position (t=0
s) is at the origin, then x0= y0=0 since
this can be the position as a ball leaves
a thrower’s hand or position of a bullet
at the moment it leaves the gun barrel.
Since projectile motion is considered
as 2-Dimensional motion, an object’s
motion can be described in two ways,
horizontally (how far) or
vertically (how high).
The height and range an
object reaches is dependent
upon 1) how fast it leaves its
initial position (initial
velocity, v0) and 2) the angle
at which it leaves from its
initial position (angle of
launch, θ) shown in Figure 1.
Figure 2 shows the
x and y
components of the
initial velocity with
where:
respect to the vox – initial velocity along the
angle of launch x-axis
given by the voy – initial velocity along the
equations, y-axis
t – time
v0x= v0 cos θ θ - angle between the initial
velocity and the x-axis
Hence, the equations of motion

𝑥=(𝑣0cos𝜃)𝑡 and 𝑦=(𝑣0sin𝜃)𝑡 −

become,

1/2𝑔𝑡 2

for the positions

𝑣𝑥= 𝑣0cos𝜃 and

and

𝑣𝑦= 𝑣0sin𝜃−𝑔𝑡 for the velocities

The conditions for projectile motion to

an initial velocity 𝑣𝑜 at an angle of

happen is that an object is thrown with

launch 𝜃.
Now, let us trace the trajectory of the
projectile following a symmetric
trajectory (we shall only be dealing with
symmetric trajectories for discussion
purposes) by neglecting air resistance.
The body starts at the point origin O.
As what is shown in the
figure, the trajectory of the
body is parabolic. The figure
above shows the position of
the body is ascending since

velocity 𝑣0𝑦 is going up. The

the vertical component of

peak of the parabola is the

highest point where the
body could be in its
trajectory (y = H). The peak
of the parabola is where the
vertical component of
Applying this to the y-component of the velocity,

𝑣𝑦= 𝑣0sin𝜃−𝑔𝑡=0
at the peak of flight of the projectile

The time when the projectile reached its highest

𝑡=𝑣0sin𝜃/𝑔
point is then,

To find the maximum height H, we substitute 𝑡 to

the equation of position along the y-axis. The

𝐻=(𝑣0sin𝜃)𝑣0sin𝜃/𝑔 − 1/2𝑔(𝑣0sin𝜃/𝑔)2
equation then becomes,

=𝑣02sin2𝜃/𝑔 −( ½) (𝑣02sin2𝜃) /𝑔
𝐻=𝑣 2sin2𝜃/2𝑔
The time it takes for a projectile to go down
to the same level (tdown) is equal to the time it
takes when it was rising (tup) to its maximum
height,
tup = tdown = t
The total
time of
flight (T) is
just double
that time, t.
T = 2t
At the total time of flight, the projectile
reaches its maximum range (R) at T
shown in Figure 5.
Three important quantities to consider when
describing the motion of projectiles are: time,
range, and height. The following is a summary
of equations to describe these quantities for a
projectile
The maximum height is the maximum vertical

follows: 𝐻=𝑣02sin2𝜃/2𝑔
displacement of projectiles. It is calculated as

where:

𝑣𝑜 – initial velocity
H – Height (horizontal displacement)

𝜃 - angle between the horizontal and the direction

The maximum range (R) is the maximum
horizontal displacement that can be reached
by a projectile. It can be calculated by the

𝑅=𝑣02sin2𝜃/𝑔
following equation:

where:

𝑣𝑜 – initial velocity
R – Range (vertical displacement)

𝜃 - angle between the horizontal and the

direction of the initial velocity
g – acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s2)
Based from the equations of height and range of a
projectile, its values is dependent upon the angle
of launch. We can note of the following salient
values of the angle theta measured with respect
to the horizontal and the resulting range:
• When the angle is zero (00), it means that the
projectile is simply launched along a horizontal
displacement ONLY with no vertical
displacement. The value of height of a projectile
is equal to zero and its range is dependent on
the value of the initial velocity and acceleration
along the x-axis. (considered as Uniformly
• The value of height of a projectile is equal to
zero and its range is dependent on the value of
the initial velocity and acceleration along the x-
axis. (considered as Uniformly Accelerated
Motion along x-axis)
• When the angle is 900, the resulting horizontal
displacement is zero, and the vertical
displacement along the y-axis only. The value of
range of a projectile is equal to zero and its
height is dependent on the value of the initial
velocity and acceleration along the y-axis
(gravity). (considered as Free-Fall)
• Between 1⁰ and 89⁰, projectile motion
is evident given that an initial velocity
on the object.
• When the angle is 450, the resulting
horizontal displacement is maximum
with high vertical displacement (but
not maximum).
• When the angle is 890, the resulting
vertical displacement is maximum with
low horizontal displacement (but not
•The displacement d and velocity v
are vector quantities.
•Projectile motion can be understood
by analyzing the horizontal and the
vertical components of the
displacement and velocity which
add as vectors.
• For a horizontally projected object, the
displacement and velocity vectors both
have magnitude and direction that you
can separate into components
Vertical
Horizontal components
components:
dH=x=vxt
vH=vx= dv=h=agt2
v =v =a t
Kinematic Equations for Projectile Motion
HORIZONTAL VERTICAL MOTION
MOTION
ax=0 ay=-ag=constant
vx=constant
Vfx=vix vfy=viy-agt
Xf=Xi+ vixt Yf=Yi+viyt-agt2
• A projectile launched horizontally has
no initial velocity.
• For a projectile beginning and ending at
the same height, the time it takes the
projectile to rise to its highest point
equals the time it takes to fall from the
highest point back to its original
position.
Sample 1
A marble is thrown horizontally from a
table top with a velocity of 1.50 m/s. the
marble falls 0.70 m away from the tables
edge.
A. How high is the table?
[Link] is the marble’s velocity just before
it hits the floor?
•In some projectile problems,
there is also a need to find
the magnitudes of the
motion components using
trigonometry
1. A projectile is fired with an
initial velocity of 75 m/s at an
angle of 35 degrees above the
horizontal on a long flat firing
range. Determine the maximum
height reached by the projectile,
total time in the air., and how far
away the object hits the ground.
2. A football is kicked at
ground level with a speed
of 20 m/s at a 40 degree
angle to the horizontal.
How much later does it hit
the ground? What is the
range of the football?
1. Suppose Tiger Woods hits a
golf ball 25 m/s at an angle of
30 degrees above the
horizontal. Determine: the
maximum height reached by
the ball, horizontal distance
covered by the ball, and how
long is the ball in the air.
2. A pirate ship is 560 m away
from the harbor entrance. A
defense cannon at sea level fires
balls at an initial velocity of 82
m/s at an angle of 63 degrees.
How long is the cannon ball in
the air? What’s the maximum
height reached by the ball?
1. A soccer ball is kicked at 35 degrees
above the horizontal, it lands at 13.8
m away and reaches a maximum
height of 2.42 m.
a. What is the initial velocity on y xis?
b. How long does it take to hit the
ground?
c. What is the initial horizontal velocity?
d. With what velocity was the ball
initially kicked?