PHY 101
KINEMATICS
(PROJECTILE MOTION)
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES (PHYSICS
PROGRAMME)
COLLEGE OF PURE AND APPLIED SCIENCES
LANDMARK UNIVERSITY, OMU-ARAN.
Introduction
A Projectile is any object or body that has an initial velocity
and follows a path determined entirely by the effects of
gravitational acceleration and air resistance.
The path taken by a projectile is called a trajectory.
Example
(ii.) A bullet fired from a gun
(i.) A missile released from a fighter jet in level flight
(iii.) An arrow released from a bow
(iv) A Javelin thrown by an Athlete
Assumptions of Projectile Motion
(a) There is no resistance due to air.
(b) The effect due to curvature of the Earth is negligible.
(c) The effect due to rotation of the Earth is negligible.
(d) For all points of the trajectory, the acceleration due
to gravity ‘g’ is constant in magnitude and direction.
There are three special cases of projectile motion
Projectile Launched from the Ground
Projectile Launched from a Height
Projectile Launched from an Inclined plane
Projectile Launched from the Ground
The path taken by this projectile is parabolic if air
resistance is neglected as shown in the diagram below
The object is projected at angle θ to the horizontal, with
an initial velocity U which has two components
(horizontal Ux and vertical Uy components).
The horizontal component of the velocity U x remains
constant throughout, while the vertical component U y
decreases as the projectile climbs higher. At
maximum height H, the vertical component of the
velocity Uy becomes zero. The magnitude of the
velocity at different point along the path of the
Components of Projectile Velocity, U
(i)Horizontal Component, Ux
Ux = U Cos θ (Constant Everywhere)
(ii)Vertical Component, Uy
(a) Uy = U Sin θ (At t = 0, Origin)
(b) Uy = U Sin θ – gt (After Time t between the origin and Maximum Height)
(c) Uy = 0 (After Time t at Maximum Height)
(d) Uy = gt – U Sin θ (After Time t Between Maximum Height and impact )
Magnitudes of Projectile Velocity, V
= Uxi + Uyj (Vector Components of U)
At the point of projection,
=i+ j
V=
V = U ( Equals Velocity of Projection)
Where Cos2 θ + Sin2 θ = 1
Between Projection Point and Maximum Height
V= i+j
V=
V=
At Maximum Height
= i+j
Uy = 0, because gt = U Sin θ
V=
V = U Cos θ
V = Ux
Between Maximum height and Point of Impact with the Ground
= U Cos θi + (gt – U Sin θ)j
V=
On Impacting the Ground
=i+ j
V=
As an illustration, a ball is projected at an angle to the horizontal
with a velocity of 29.2 m/s. At any point along the projectile path,
the horizontal and vertical components of the velocity are shown in
the diagram below
Time to Reach Maximum Height.
t=
Total Time of Flight.
T=
Maximum Height Reached.
H=
Range of Projectile
R=
If θ = 450, Sin 2θ = 1, so that the range is maximum at θ = 45 0
Distance on x- axis where the object attained maximum height
H = x tan θ
H is maximum height, R is range and x is the distance here it reaches
maximum height
Projection from a height
Projection from a height
Horizontal projection from a height
Assignment
(1.) A ball is projected with a velocity of 100 m/s at an angle of 30 0 to
the horizontal. Calculate the (i.) time to reach maximum height (ii.)
total time of flight (iii.) maximum height reached (iv.) range (v.)
maximum range (vi.) distance on the x-axis where the object attained
the maximum height (vii.) vertical component and magnitude of the
velocity halfway between the origin and maximum height (viii.) vertical
component and magnitude of the velocity halfway between maximum
height and point of impact on the ground
2. A cart is moving horizontally along a straight line with
a constant speed of 30 m/s. A projectile is fired from the
moving cart in such a way that it will return to the cart
after the cart has moved 80m. At what angle to the
horizontal and speed, relative to the cart, must the
projectile be launched?