TOPIC: PROJECTILE MOTION
A projectile is an object thrown/projected into the air and allowed to move under the influence
of gravity only.
The path followed by a projectile is called a trajectory. This trajectory is typically a parabola.
Projectile motion is the motion of an object thrown/projected into the air and allowed to move
under the influence of gravity only.
Projectile motion can be considered under three headings as follows:
a. Motion of an object thrown vertically into the air.
b. Motion of an object projected horizontally from a certain height.
c. Motion of an object projected into the air at an angle of inclination to the horizontal/vertical.
Examples of projectile include:
1. A stone thrown vertically upwards. 2. A ball rebounding from a wall.
2. A bomb dropped from a moving aircraft. 4. An athlete doing high jump.
5. A stone released from a catapult. 6. A bullet fired from a gun.
7. Water coming out from a fountain. 8. Javelin throw in athletics
9. A football kicked into the air.
Motion of an object projected horizontally from a height
U = initial velocity with which the object was projected horizontally.
h = height of projection
R = Range of projection (distance from the foot of platform/tower to the point of landing)
Vy = the vertical component of the velocity with which the object hits the ground.
Projectile motion is therefore a type of motion in which a body moves in a two-dimensional
plane, with:
Horizontal motion (constant velocity, since no force acts horizontally if we neglect air
resistance).
Vertical motion (uniformly accelerated motion due to gravity).
Experiments have shown that the time it takes to travel along the parabolic path from the point
of projection to the point of landing, equals the time it would take if the object were to fall
freely through the height h. It is also equal the time it takes to cover the horizontal range R.
Therefore, the vertical motion is treated purely as a free fall (downward motion under gravity)
and the equations of downward motion under gravity are applied directly to it.
1 2
ℎ = uy t + gt ------------------------------------ 1
2
v y = u y + gt ---------------------------------- 2
2 2
v y = u y +2 g ℎ ----------------------------------- 3
But uy = 0 hence, the above three equations becomes
1 2
ℎ = gt ----------------------------------- (1)
2
vy = gt ----------------------------------- (2)
2
vy = 2 g ℎ ---------------------------------- (3)
From (3), v y = √2gℎ
For the horizontal motion
1 2
R = ux t + at
2
But in the horizontal motion there is no acceleration, that is acceleration is zero. ( i.e a = 0)
R = ux t ---------------- (4)
Examples1: A ball is projected horizontally from the top of a vertical building 25.0m above
the ground level with an initial velocity of 8.25m/s .
(a) How long is the ball in flight before striking the ground?
(b) How far from the building does the ball strike the
ground? [ g = 10ms–2 ]
(a) How long is the ball in flight before striking the ground = Time of flight
1 2
ℎ = uy t + gt
2
uy = initial vertical velocity = 0
1 2
25 = 0(t) + ×10 × t
2
2
25 = 5 × t
2
t =5
t = √5 = 2.236s = 2.24s
(b) For the horizontal motion the time of flight t is the time it takes to cover the horizontal
range (R).
1 2
R = ux t + at
2
But a = 0
R = ux t
R = 8.25 × 2.236 = 18.4m
R = How far from the building that the ball strikes the ground.
Example 2: A stone, thrown horizontally from the top of a vertical wall with a velocity of
15ms–1 , hits the horizontal ground at a point 45m from the base of the wall,
calculate the
(i) time of flight of the stone
(ii) height of the wall [ g = 10ms–2 ]
R= 45m
(i) R = ux t
R
t=
ux
45
t= =3m/s
15
(ii) Now for the vertical motion
1 2
h = uy t + gt
2
But uy = 0
1 2
h = 3(0) + × 10 × 3
2
2
h = 5 × 3 = 45m
Motion of an object projected at an angle of inclination to the horizontal/vertical
O is the point of projection
U = initial velocity of projection
𝜃 = angle of inclination of the initial velocity to the horizontal
Uy = vertical component of the initial velocity
Ux = horizontal component of the initial velocity
H = Maximum height reached by the projectile.
P = point of landing of the projectile on projection plane
R = Horizontal range of the projectile
OHP is the parabolic path along which the projectile travelled.
Horizontal component of velocity, u x = u cos ɵ
Vertical component of velocity, uy = u sin ɵ
Considering the vertical (upward) motion, the time t, taken to reach the maximum height H is
given as follows: For an upward vertical motion,
v y = u y – gt
but v y = 0
0 = u y – gt
gt= u y
uy
t =
g
But uy = u sin ɵ
u sin ɵ
t =
g
This is the time it takes the projectile to reach the maximum height H and is equal to the time it
takes to travel from H to the point of landing P.
Therefore the total time of flight T = 2t
Time of flight is the total duration an object is in motion, from launch to landing.
Also for an upward vertical motion,
2 2
v y = u2 + 2 gH
But v y = 0
2
0 = u 2 − 2 gH
2
2 gH = u 2
2
u2
H=
2g
2
( u sin ɵ )
H=
2g
2
u , at ɵ = o
H max = 90
2g
Now considering the horizontal motion
1 2
R = ux T + aT
2
But a = 0 for the horizontal motion.
1 2
R = ux T + ×0×T
2
R = ux T
2u sin ɵ
R u x = ( u cos ɵ ) [ ]
g
2 2
u sin 2ɵ u , at ɵ = o
R= , R max = 45
g g
Example 3
Example 4
Applications of Projectile Motion
In sports (football, basketball, long jump, javelin).
In military (cannonball trajectory, missiles).
In engineering (design of fountains, water sprinklers).
Space science (launching satellites, rockets).
ASSIGNMENT
1. State two factors that affect the maximum height attained by a bullet fired from a gun.
2a. What is a projectile?
2b. (i) What is trajectory?
(ii) Give three examples of a projectile.
3. A tennis ball is projected horizontally from a height of 30m above the ground with an
initial speed of 20m s− 1 . Calculate the horizontal distance travelled by the ball when it
hits the ground. [ g = 10m s− 2 ]
4. A stone projected horizontally from the top of a tower with a speed of 4m s− 1 lands on
the level ground at a horizontal distance of 25m from the foot of the tower. Calculate
the height of the tower [ g = 10m s− 2]
5. A particle is projected at an angle of 30o to the horizontal with a speed of 250m s− 1.
Calculate the:
(a) total time of flight of the particle
(b) speed of the particle at its maximum height. [g= 10m s− 2]