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How to Solve a Projectile Motion Problem

Last Updated: April 6, 2024

This article was co-authored by Grace Imson, MA . Grace Imson is a math teacher with over 40 years of teaching experience. Grace is currently a math instructor at the City College of San Francisco and was previously in the Math Department at Saint Louis University. She has taught math at the elementary, middle, high school, and college levels. She has an MA in Education, specializing in Administration and Supervision from Saint Louis University. This article has been viewed 76,710 times.

Projectile motion is often one of the most difficult topics to understand in physics classes. Most of the time, there is not a direct way to get the answer; you need to solve for a few other variables to get the answer you are looking for. This means in order to find the distance an object traveled, you might first have to find the time it took or the initial velocity first. Just follow these steps and you should be able to fly through projectile motion problems!

• (1) an object is thrown off a higher ground than what it will land on.
• (2) the object starts on the ground, soars through the air, and then lands on the ground some distance away from where it started.

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3.4 Projectile Motion

Learning objectives.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Identify and explain the properties of a projectile, such as acceleration due to gravity, range, maximum height, and trajectory.
• Determine the location and velocity of a projectile at different points in its trajectory.
• Apply the principle of independence of motion to solve projectile motion problems.

Projectile motion is the motion of an object thrown or projected into the air, subject to only the acceleration of gravity. The object is called a projectile , and its path is called its trajectory . The motion of falling objects, as covered in Problem-Solving Basics for One-Dimensional Kinematics , is a simple one-dimensional type of projectile motion in which there is no horizontal movement. In this section, we consider two-dimensional projectile motion, such as that of a football or other object for which air resistance is negligible .

The most important fact to remember here is that motions along perpendicular axes are independent and thus can be analyzed separately. This fact was discussed in Kinematics in Two Dimensions: An Introduction , where vertical and horizontal motions were seen to be independent. The key to analyzing two-dimensional projectile motion is to break it into two motions, one along the horizontal axis and the other along the vertical. (This choice of axes is the most sensible, because acceleration due to gravity is vertical—thus, there will be no acceleration along the horizontal axis when air resistance is negligible.) As is customary, we call the horizontal axis the x -axis and the vertical axis the y -axis. Figure 3.34 illustrates the notation for displacement, where s s is defined to be the total displacement and x x and y y are its components along the horizontal and vertical axes, respectively. The magnitudes of these vectors are s , x , and y . (Note that in the last section we used the notation A A to represent a vector with components A x A x and A y A y . If we continued this format, we would call displacement s s with components s x s x and s y s y . However, to simplify the notation, we will simply represent the component vectors as x x and y y .)

Of course, to describe motion we must deal with velocity and acceleration, as well as with displacement. We must find their components along the x - and y -axes, too. We will assume all forces except gravity (such as air resistance and friction, for example) are negligible. The components of acceleration are then very simple: a y = – g = – 9.80 m /s 2 a y = – g = – 9.80 m /s 2 . (Note that this definition assumes that the upwards direction is defined as the positive direction. If you arrange the coordinate system instead such that the downwards direction is positive, then acceleration due to gravity takes a positive value.) Because gravity is vertical, a x = 0 a x = 0 . Both accelerations are constant, so the kinematic equations can be used.

Review of Kinematic Equations (constant a a )

Given these assumptions, the following steps are then used to analyze projectile motion:

Step 1. Resolve or break the motion into horizontal and vertical components along the x- and y-axes. These axes are perpendicular, so A x = A cos θ A x = A cos θ and A y = A sin θ A y = A sin θ are used. The magnitude of the components of displacement s s along these axes are x x and y. y. The magnitudes of the components of the velocity v v are v x = v cos θ v x = v cos θ and v y = v sin θ, v y = v sin θ, where v v is the magnitude of the velocity and θ θ is its direction, as shown in Figure 3.35 . Initial values are denoted with a subscript 0, as usual.

Step 2. Treat the motion as two independent one-dimensional motions, one horizontal and the other vertical. The kinematic equations for horizontal and vertical motion take the following forms:

Step 3. Solve for the unknowns in the two separate motions—one horizontal and one vertical. Note that the only common variable between the motions is time t t . The problem solving procedures here are the same as for one-dimensional kinematics and are illustrated in the solved examples below.

Step 4. Recombine the two motions to find the total displacement s s and velocity v v . Because the x - and y -motions are perpendicular, we determine these vectors by using the techniques outlined in the Vector Addition and Subtraction: Analytical Methods and employing A = A x 2 + A y 2 A = A x 2 + A y 2 and θ = tan − 1 ( A y / A x ) θ = tan − 1 ( A y / A x ) in the following form, where θ θ is the direction of the displacement s s and θ v θ v is the direction of the velocity v v :

Total displacement and velocity

Example 3.4

A fireworks projectile explodes high and away.

During a fireworks display, a shell is shot into the air with an initial speed of 70.0 m/s at an angle of 75.0º 75.0º above the horizontal, as illustrated in Figure 3.36 . The fuse is timed to ignite the shell just as it reaches its highest point above the ground. (a) Calculate the height at which the shell explodes. (b) How much time passed between the launch of the shell and the explosion? (c) What is the horizontal displacement of the shell when it explodes?

Because air resistance is negligible for the unexploded shell, the analysis method outlined above can be used. The motion can be broken into horizontal and vertical motions in which a x = 0 a x = 0 and a y = – g a y = – g . We can then define x 0 x 0 and y 0 y 0 to be zero and solve for the desired quantities.

Solution for (a)

By “height” we mean the altitude or vertical position y y above the starting point. The highest point in any trajectory, called the apex, is reached when v y = 0 v y = 0 . Since we know the initial and final velocities as well as the initial position, we use the following equation to find y y :

Because y 0 y 0 and v y v y are both zero, the equation simplifies to

Solving for y y gives

Now we must find v 0 y v 0 y , the component of the initial velocity in the y -direction. It is given by v 0 y = v 0 sin θ v 0 y = v 0 sin θ , where v 0 y v 0 y is the initial velocity of 70.0 m/s, and θ 0 = 75.0º θ 0 = 75.0º is the initial angle. Thus,

Discussion for (a)

Note that because up is positive, the initial velocity is positive, as is the maximum height, but the acceleration due to gravity is negative. Note also that the maximum height depends only on the vertical component of the initial velocity, so that any projectile with a 67.6 m/s initial vertical component of velocity will reach a maximum height of 233 m (neglecting air resistance). The numbers in this example are reasonable for large fireworks displays, the shells of which do reach such heights before exploding. In practice, air resistance is not completely negligible, and so the initial velocity would have to be somewhat larger than that given to reach the same height.

Solution for (b)

As in many physics problems, there is more than one way to solve for the time to the highest point. In this case, the easiest method is to use y = y 0 + 1 2 ( v 0 y + v y ) t y = y 0 + 1 2 ( v 0 y + v y ) t . Because y 0 y 0 is zero, this equation reduces to simply

Note that the final vertical velocity, v y v y , at the highest point is zero. Thus,

Discussion for (b)

This time is also reasonable for large fireworks. When you are able to see the launch of fireworks, you will notice several seconds pass before the shell explodes. (Another way of finding the time is by using y = y 0 + v 0 y t − 1 2 gt 2 y = y 0 + v 0 y t − 1 2 gt 2 , and solving the quadratic equation for t t .)

Solution for (c)

Because air resistance is negligible, a x = 0 a x = 0 and the horizontal velocity is constant, as discussed above. The horizontal displacement is horizontal velocity multiplied by time as given by x = x 0 + v x t x = x 0 + v x t , where x 0 x 0 is equal to zero:

where v x v x is the x -component of the velocity, which is given by v x = v 0 cos θ 0 . v x = v 0 cos θ 0 . Now,

The time t t for both motions is the same, and so x x is

Discussion for (c)

The horizontal motion is a constant velocity in the absence of air resistance. The horizontal displacement found here could be useful in keeping the fireworks fragments from falling on spectators. Once the shell explodes, air resistance has a major effect, and many fragments will land directly below.

In solving part (a) of the preceding example, the expression we found for y y is valid for any projectile motion where air resistance is negligible. Call the maximum height y = h y = h ; then,

This equation defines the maximum height of a projectile and depends only on the vertical component of the initial velocity.

Defining a Coordinate System

It is important to set up a coordinate system when analyzing projectile motion. One part of defining the coordinate system is to define an origin for the x x and y y positions. Often, it is convenient to choose the initial position of the object as the origin such that x 0 = 0 x 0 = 0 and y 0 = 0 y 0 = 0 . It is also important to define the positive and negative directions in the x x and y y directions. Typically, we define the positive vertical direction as upwards, and the positive horizontal direction is usually the direction of the object’s motion. When this is the case, the vertical acceleration, a y = – g a y = – g , takes a negative value (since it is directed downwards towards the Earth). However, it is occasionally useful to define the coordinates differently. For example, if you are analyzing the motion of a ball thrown downwards from the top of a cliff, it may make sense to define the positive direction downwards since the motion of the ball is solely in the downwards direction. If this is the case, a y = g a y = g takes a positive value.

Example 3.5

Calculating projectile motion: hot rock projectile.

Kilauea in Hawaii is the world’s most continuously active volcano. Very active volcanoes characteristically eject red-hot rocks and lava rather than smoke and ash. Suppose a large rock is ejected from the volcano with a speed of 25.0 m/s and at an angle 35.0º 35.0º above the horizontal, as shown in Figure 3.37 . The rock strikes the side of the volcano at an altitude 20.0 m lower than its starting point. (a) Calculate the time it takes the rock to follow this path. (b) What are the magnitude and direction of the rock’s velocity at impact?

Again, resolving this two-dimensional motion into two independent one-dimensional motions will allow us to solve for the desired quantities. The time a projectile is in the air is governed by its vertical motion alone. We will solve for t t first. While the rock is rising and falling vertically, the horizontal motion continues at a constant velocity. This example asks for the final velocity. Thus, the vertical and horizontal results will be recombined to obtain v v and θ v θ v at the final time t t determined in the first part of the example.

While the rock is in the air, it rises and then falls to a final position 20.0 m lower than its starting altitude. We can find the time for this by using

If we take the initial position y 0 y 0 to be zero, then the final position is y = − 20 .0 m . y = − 20 .0 m . Now the initial vertical velocity is the vertical component of the initial velocity, found from v 0 y = v 0 sin θ 0 v 0 y = v 0 sin θ 0 = ( 25 . 0 m/s 25 . 0 m/s )( sin 35.0º sin 35.0º ) = 14 . 3 m/s 14 . 3 m/s . Substituting known values yields

Rearranging terms gives a quadratic equation in t t :

This expression is a quadratic equation of the form at 2 + bt + c = 0 at 2 + bt + c = 0 , where the constants are a = 4.90 a = 4.90 , b = – 14.3 b = – 14.3 , and c = – 20.0. c = – 20.0. Its solutions are given by the quadratic formula:

This equation yields two solutions: t = 3.96 t = 3.96 and t = – 1.03 t = – 1.03 . (It is left as an exercise for the reader to verify these solutions.) The time is t = 3.96 s t = 3.96 s or – 1.03 s – 1.03 s . The negative value of time implies an event before the start of motion, and so we discard it. Thus,

The time for projectile motion is completely determined by the vertical motion. So any projectile that has an initial vertical velocity of 14.3 m/s and lands 20.0 m below its starting altitude will spend 3.96 s in the air.

From the information now in hand, we can find the final horizontal and vertical velocities v x v x and v y v y and combine them to find the total velocity v v and the angle θ 0 θ 0 it makes with the horizontal. Of course, v x v x is constant so we can solve for it at any horizontal location. In this case, we chose the starting point since we know both the initial velocity and initial angle. Therefore:

The final vertical velocity is given by the following equation:

where v 0y v 0y was found in part (a) to be 14 . 3 m/s 14 . 3 m/s . Thus,

To find the magnitude of the final velocity v v we combine its perpendicular components, using the following equation:

which gives

The direction θ v θ v is found from the equation:

The negative angle means that the velocity is 50 . 1º 50 . 1º below the horizontal. This result is consistent with the fact that the final vertical velocity is negative and hence downward—as you would expect because the final altitude is 20.0 m lower than the initial altitude. (See Figure 3.37 .)

One of the most important things illustrated by projectile motion is that vertical and horizontal motions are independent of each other. Galileo was the first person to fully comprehend this characteristic. He used it to predict the range of a projectile. On level ground, we define range to be the horizontal distance R R traveled by a projectile. Galileo and many others were interested in the range of projectiles primarily for military purposes—such as aiming cannons. However, investigating the range of projectiles can shed light on other interesting phenomena, such as the orbits of satellites around the Earth. Let us consider projectile range further.

How does the initial velocity of a projectile affect its range? Obviously, the greater the initial speed v 0 v 0 , the greater the range, as shown in Figure 3.38 (a). The initial angle θ 0 θ 0 also has a dramatic effect on the range, as illustrated in Figure 3.38 (b). For a fixed initial speed, such as might be produced by a cannon, the maximum range is obtained with θ 0 = 45º θ 0 = 45º . This is true only for conditions neglecting air resistance. If air resistance is considered, the maximum angle is approximately 38º 38º . Interestingly, for every initial angle except 45º 45º , there are two angles that give the same range—the sum of those angles is 90º 90º . The range also depends on the value of the acceleration of gravity g g . The lunar astronaut Alan Shepherd was able to drive a golf ball a great distance on the Moon because gravity is weaker there. The range R R of a projectile on level ground for which air resistance is negligible is given by

where v 0 v 0 is the initial speed and θ 0 θ 0 is the initial angle relative to the horizontal. The proof of this equation is left as an end-of-chapter problem (hints are given), but it does fit the major features of projectile range as described.

When we speak of the range of a projectile on level ground, we assume that R R is very small compared with the circumference of the Earth. If, however, the range is large, the Earth curves away below the projectile and acceleration of gravity changes direction along the path. The range is larger than predicted by the range equation given above because the projectile has farther to fall than it would on level ground. (See Figure 3.39 .) If the initial speed is great enough, the projectile goes into orbit. This possibility was recognized centuries before it could be accomplished. When an object is in orbit, the Earth curves away from underneath the object at the same rate as it falls. The object thus falls continuously but never hits the surface. These and other aspects of orbital motion, such as the rotation of the Earth, will be covered analytically and in greater depth later in this text.

Once again we see that thinking about one topic, such as the range of a projectile, can lead us to others, such as the Earth orbits. In Addition of Velocities , we will examine the addition of velocities, which is another important aspect of two-dimensional kinematics and will also yield insights beyond the immediate topic.

PhET Explorations

Projectile motion.

Blast a Buick out of a cannon! Learn about projectile motion by firing various objects. Set the angle, initial speed, and mass. Add air resistance. Make a game out of this simulation by trying to hit a target.

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Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/college-physics-2e/pages/1-introduction-to-science-and-the-realm-of-physics-physical-quantities-and-units

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1.8: Projectile Motion

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Learning Objectives

• Identify and explain the properties of a projectile, such as acceleration due to gravity, range, and trajectory.
• Apply the principle of independence of motion to solve projectile motion problems.

Projectile motion  is the  motion  of an object thrown or projected into the air, subject to only the acceleration of gravity. The object is called a  projectile , and its path is called its  trajectory . The motion of falling objects is a simple one-dimensional type of projectile motion in which there is no horizontal movement. In this section, we consider two-dimensional projectile motion, such as that of a football or other object for which  air resistance   is negligible .

The most important fact to know here is that  motions along perpendicular axes are independent  and thus can be considered separately. In particular, it is often convenient to consider vertical and horizontal motions separately, or independently. The key to analyzing two-dimensional projectile motion is to break it into two motions, one along the horizontal axis and the other along the vertical. And we will assume all forces except gravity are negligible (that is, we ignore forces due to air resistance, wind, friction, etc.). The vertical component of acceleration is, then, \(a_{y}=-g=-9.80 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}^{2}\), where we take upward direction as the positive \(y\) direction. And because there is no force in the horizontal direction, \(a_{x}=0 \). Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\) illustrates this approach to analyzing projectile motion.

One of the conceptual aspects of projectile motion we can discuss without a detailed analysis is the range. On level ground, we define  range  to be the horizontal distance \(R\) traveled by a projectile. The range of projectiles describes everyday phenomena such as how far a football can be thrown or kicked. Also, investigating the range of projectiles can shed light on other interesting phenomena, such as the orbits of satellites around the Earth. Let us consider projectile range further.

How does the initial velocity of a projectile affect its range? It is intuitive to guess that, the greater the initial speed \(v_{0}\), the greater the range, as shown in Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\) (a). The initial angle \(\theta_{0}\) also has a dramatic effect on the range, as illustrated in Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\) (b). For a fixed initial speed, such as might be produced by a cannon, the maximum range is obtained with \(\theta_{0}=45^{\circ} \). Interestingly, for every initial angle except \(45^{\circ}\), there are two angles that give the same range. The range also depends on the value of the acceleration of gravity \(g\). The lunar astronaut Alan Shepherd was able to drive a golf ball a great distance on the Moon because gravity is weaker there. The range \(R\) of a projectile on  level ground  for which air resistance is negligible is given by

\[R=\frac{v_{0}^{2} \sin 2 \theta_{0}}{g}, \nonumber\]

where \(v_{0}\) is the initial speed and \(\theta_{0}\) is the initial angle relative to the horizontal. This formula (which can be derived using algebra and trigonometry) fits the major features of projectile range as described.

When we speak of the range of a projectile on level ground, we assume that \(R\) is very small compared with the circumference of the Earth. If, however, the range is large, the Earth curves away below the projectile and acceleration of gravity changes direction along the path. The range is larger than predicted by the range equation given above because the projectile has farther to fall than it would on level ground. (See Figure \(\PageIndex{3}\).) If the initial speed is great enough, the projectile goes into orbit. This possibility was recognized centuries before it could be accomplished. When an object is in orbit, the Earth curves away from underneath the object at the same rate as it falls. The object thus falls continuously but never hits the surface.

• Projectile motion is the motion of an object through the air that is subject only to the acceleration of gravity.
• The most important fact regarding projectile motion is that motions along vertical direction and the horizontal direction are independent.

\[R=\frac{v_{0}^{2} \sin 2 \theta_{0}}{g}. \nonumber\]

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Chapter 5: Projectile Motion

Equations Used for this Topic:  (All equations are generally written and solved as  vector and all variables are the same measures and units as Chapter 3)

All measures  are separated into vertical and horizontal components and assume zero air resistance.

Vertical                                                                                         Horizontal Data

a= – 9.80 m/s 2                                                                               v =

v i =                                                                                                 d =

v f =                                                                                                  t =

Variables Used …

v is Average Speed, commonly measured in Metres/Second (m/s) or Kilometres/Hour (km/h)

[latex]\overrightarrow{v}[/latex] is Average Velocity, commonly measured in Metres/Second (m/s) or Kilometres/Hour (km/h) and includes a direction

v i is Initial Speed, commonly measured in Metres/Second (m/s) or Kilometres/Hour (km/h

[latex]\overrightarrow{v}_i[/latex] is Initial Velocity, commonly measured in Metres/Second (m/s) or Kilometres/Hour (km/h) and includes a direction

v f is Final Speed, commonly measured in Metres/Second (m/s) or Kilometres/Hour (km/h)

v f is Final Velocity, commonly measured in Metres/Second (m/s) or Kilometres/Hour (km/h) and includes a direction

[latex]\Delta{d}[/latex] is Distance traveled, commonly measured in Metres (m), Kilometres (km)

[latex]\Delta{\overrightarrow{d}}[/latex] is Change in Displacement, commonly measured in Metres (m), Kilometres (km) and includes a direction

a is Acceleration (deceleration is negative), measured in Metres per Second squared (m/s 2 )

[latex]\overrightarrow{a}[/latex] is Vector Acceleration, measured in Metres per Second squared (m/s 2 ) and includes a direction

t is Time, commonly measured in Seconds (s) or Hours (h)

5.1 Horizontally Launched Projectiles  4, 5

All measures are separated into vertical and horizontal components

Vertical Data                                            Horizontal Data

[latex]\overrightarrow{a} = -9.8 m/s{^2}[/latex]                                        [latex]\overrightarrow{v} =[/latex]

[latex]\overrightarrow{v}_i =[/latex]                                                         [latex]\Delta{\overrightarrow{d}}=[/latex]

[latex]\overrightarrow{v}_f =[/latex]                                                        t =

[latex]\overrightarrow{d}=[/latex]

The reason for breaking all data into vertical and horizontal components is that gravity acts vertically and as such, only affects the vertical motion. The horizontal motion remains constant until the point that air resistance begins to affect both the vertical and horizontal motion. At this point, the physics that we use in algebra breaks down for the analysis of projectiles.

Historically , the study of projectiles was one of the first to gain importance due to its relevance in warfare, where the range and destructiveness of cannons was one of the projectiles studied. Until early researchers were able to break projectile motion into air resistance affected and non-affected, the narratives used were rather creative. The most common theory prior to accounting for air resistance was from the Theory of Impetus 6 .

Impetus Theory , which underpinned the understanding of projectiles, was originated by John Philoponus  and Avicenna in 6 AD, and adopted and expanded my Nur ad-Din al-Bitruji at the end of the 12th century. It was adopted into Western scientific thought by Jean Buridan in the 14th century. 

“When a mover sets a body in motion he implants into it a certain impetus, that is, a certain force enabling a body to move in the direction in which the mover starts it, be it upwards, downwards, sidewards, or in a circle. The implanted impetus increases in the same ratio as the velocity. It is because of this impetus that a stone moves on after the thrower has ceased moving it. But because of the resistance of the air (and also because of the gravity of the stone) which strives to move it in the opposite direction to the motion caused by the impetus, the latter will weaken all the time. Therefore the motion of the stone will be gradually slower, and finally the impetus is so diminished or destroyed that the gravity of the stone prevails and moves the stone towards its natural place. In my opinion one can accept this explanation because the other explanations prove to be false whereas all phenomena agree with this one.”

Jean Buridan 14th Century

Eventually, the Theory of Impetus was further refined into the concept of inertia by Galileo, and was later quantified by Isaac Newton in his three Laws of Forces (Chapter 6). This Law of Inertia simply states that an object in motion or a state of rest remains in that exact state of motion or rest unless an unbalanced force acts upon it.

In applying this to the analysis of projectiles:

Vertical Motion is constantly affected by the Earth’s gravity, resulting in the vertical motion constantly accelerating at 9.80 m/s 2  downward near the Earth’s surface.

Horizontal Motion remains constant since the Earth’s gravity only affects any motion up or down, not horizontal.

This means that in analyzing projectile motion, the motion must be broken up into vertical and horizontal components. The vertical part of the projectile’s motion will be constantly accelerated by gravity (solved by the four kinematic equations) and the horizontal part will remain at a constant horizontal velocity (solved by the constant velocity equation).

Four Kinematic Equations                                           Constant Velocity Equation

[latex]\overrightarrow{d} =\dfrac{\overrightarrow{v}_i +\overrightarrow{v}_f)t}{2}[/latex]             [latex]\overrightarrow{v}_f =\overrightarrow{v}_i +\overrightarrow{a}t[/latex]                                         [latex]\overrightarrow{v} =\dfrac{\Delta{\overrightarrow{d}}}{t}[/latex]

[latex]2\overrightarrow{a}\overrightarrow{d} =\overrightarrow{v}_f{^2} -\overrightarrow{v}_i{^2}[/latex]          [latex]\overrightarrow{d} = \overrightarrow{v}_it = ½\overrightarrow{a}t{^2}[/latex]

The choice of equation to use can still be solved by using the chart introduced in Chapter 3.

EXAMPLE  5.1.1

In a movie, a stunt driver is to drive a car over a 4.0 m vertical drop traveling at 60 km/h.  (i) At what velocity (vertical and horizontal) does this car strike the ground? 7 [footnote?]   (ii) What speed would this be?

To solve for the speed one must find the hypotenuse of these two velocity vectors. This is most easily done by using the Pythagorean Theorem: a2 + b2 = c2

Therefore the speed is:

v 2  = (- 8.85 m/s) 2 + (16.7 m/s)

v 2  =  78.4 m 2 /s 2  + 277.8 m 2 /s 2

v 2  = 356.2 m 2 /s 2

v = 18.9 m/s  (≈ 19 m/s)

EXAMPLE  5.1.2

A marble rolls off a 1.5 m high bench with a velocity of 0.80 m/s.  What horizontal distance does it travel before it strikes the floor?

First, find the time in the air.

[latex]\overrightarrow{d} =\overrightarrow{v}_{i}t + ½ (- 9.80 m/s^{2})(t)^{2}[/latex]

– 1.5 m = (0 m/s)(t) + ½ (- 9.80 m/s 2 )(t) 2

– 1.5 m = (- 4.9 m/s 2 )(t) 2

(t) 2  = – 1.5 m ÷ – 4.9 m/s 2

t 2 = 0.306 s 2 t = 0.55 s

Second, find the horizontal distance the marble travels.

[latex]\overrightarrow{v} =\dfrac{\Delta{\overrightarrow{d}}}{t}[/latex]

[latex]0.8 m/s =\dfrac{\Delta{d}}{0.55 s}[/latex]

[latex]\Delta{d}[/latex] = (0.8 m/s)(0.55 s)

[latex]\Delta{d}[/latex]= 0.44 m

EXAMPLE  5.1.3

A rock is thrown horizontally from a cliff with a velocity of 20 m/s.  What is the vertical and horizontal displacement 8  of this rock after 3.0 s?

First, find the vertical displacement.

[latex]\overrightarrow{d} =\overrightarrow{v}_it +\dfrac{\overrightarrow{1}}{2}at{^2}[/latex]

[latex]\overrightarrow{d} = (0 m/s)(t) + ½ (-9.80 m/s{^2})(3.0){^2}[/latex]

[latex]\overrightarrow{d} = (-4.9 m/s{^2})(9.0 s{^2})[/latex]

[latex]\overrightarrow{d} = - 44.1 m (-44 m)[/latex]

Second, find the horizontal displacement.

[latex]\Delta\overrightarrow{d} = (20 m/s)(3.0 s)[/latex]

[latex]\Delta\overrightarrow{d} = 60 m[/latex]

Therefore, the total displacement change of the rock in those 3.0 s is:

[latex]\Delta\overrightarrow{d}[/latex] = – 44 m vertical and 60 m horizontal

The distance traveled would be found by using the Pythagorean Theorem from this data.

QUESTIONS  5.1 Horizontally Launched Projectiles

1. A rock is thrown horizontally from a bridge. By the time it strikes the water 44.1 m below, the rock has traveled a horizontal displacement of 15.0 m. With what horizontal velocity was this rock thrown?

2. A sea rescue airplane flying at 120 km/h and 45 m above water discovers shipwrecked people floating in a group.  At what amount of time before they fly over the people should the aircraft drop emergency supplies?

3. A diver running 3.5 m/s dives from the edge of a vertical cliff and reaches the water below 1.5 s later. How high was the cliff and how far from its base did this diver hit the water?

4. A water balloon is thrown out of a window (10.0 m above ground) with a horizontal velocity of 6.0 m/s. Will the balloon hit a sunbather tanning on the ground that is 12 m away from the base of the window?

5. A sack of flour is dropped from an airplane traveling at 125 m/s horizontally when 490 m above ground. How far forwards from the spot over which it dropped does the sack land? (Ignore air resistance.)

6. A car drives over a 20 m vertical drop traveling at 75 km/h. At what velocity (vertical and horizontal) does this car strike the ground?

7. A UN airplane on a rescue mission into hostile territory has a horizontal velocity of 500 km/h and drops a supply package at an altitude of 1500 m. If the chute fails to open and air resistance does not affect the motion, (i) in what amount of time would this package impact the ground? (ii) What horizontal distance would this package have traveled? (iii) What would be the package’s impact speed? (Ignore air resistance.)

8. A stone is thrown horizontally from a cliff with a velocity of 12 m/s. (i) What is the stone’s vertical displacement after 1.0 s? (ii) What is the stone’s vertical displacement after 2.0 s?

9. A cannon fires a cannonball with a velocity of 200 m/s with its barrel horizontal at a height of 1.2 m above the ground. (i) How long would the cannon ball remain airborne before impacting the ground? (ii) What is the vertical and horizontal displacement of the cannonball when it strikes the ground? (iii) Which answers above change if the launch velocity was reduced to 150 m/s?

10. A pea is rolled off a table 1.0 m high with a velocity of 1.2 m/s. With what speed does this pea strike the floor?

11. Back in the early 1970s a bush pilot started to bomb a small town in Northern Alberta with 5 pound bags of flour. He dropped about a dozen bags and managed to flatten one outhouse, dusting a couple of cars but no people. He was arrested upon landing. If he was flying at 120 km/h (horizontally) at a height of 50 m, what horizontal distance in front of his intended target should he have dropped his “bomb”?

5.2 Projectiles Launched at an Angle

All measures are broken up into vertical and horizontal components, generally using right angled trigonometry where

Basic Trigonometric Ratios

Sin  =   Opposite       Cos  =  Adjacent      Tan  =  Opposite

   Hypotenuse            Hypotenuse                Adjacent

Trigonometric Defined Sides

As before, the choice of equation to use can be solved by using the chart introduced in Chapter 3.

EXAMPLE  5.2.1

Suppose a baseball is hit and leaves the bat at 145 km/h at an angle of 30° above the horizontal. In the absence of air resistance, what horizontal displacement would it travel before falling back to the height that it was struck?

First, you need to find the baseball’s vertical and horizontal components at launch.

The velocity broken into components:

   Launch Velocity = 145 km/h or 40.3 m/s

   Vertical Velocity = find

    Trigonometry Relationship to use is the Sine Function:

                       Sin 30°  = Vertical Velocity / 40.3 m/s

                       Vertical Velocity = (40.3 m/s)(Sin 30°)

                       Vertical Velocity = 20.2 m/s

   Horizontal Velocity = find

    Trigonometry Relationship to use is the Cosine Function:

                       Cos 30°  =  Horizontal Velocity / 40.3 m/s

                       Horizontal Velocity = (40.3 m/s)(Cos 30°)

                       Horizontal Velocity = 34.9 m/s

This data is now put into the following chart:

First we use symmetry to  sort out the data. If the baseball is launched at 20.2 m/s vertical, then it should return to the same height at 20.2 m/s in the opposite direction, as long as air resistance can be ignored.

Using the vertical data, the equation to be used is:

[latex]\overrightarrow{v}_f = \overrightarrow{v}_i +\overrightarrow{a}t[/latex]

Therefore:  – 20.2 m/s = 20.2 m/s + (-9.80 m/s 2 ) t

(-9.80 m/s 2 ) t = – 20.2 m/s – 20.2 m/s

Leaving:    t = – 40.4 m/s / – 9.80 m/s 2    or 4.12 s

We now use this 4.12 s to find out how far the baseball traveled before it returned to the height it was struck at.

Using the horizontal data, the equation to be used is:

[latex]\overrightarrow{v} =\dfrac{\overrightarrow{d}}{t}[/latex]

Therefore:  34.9 m/s  = horizontal displacement / 4.12 s

Leaving:    the horizontal displacement = (34.9 m/s)(4.12 s)  or  144 m

In reality this 144 m will be affected by air resistance and other factors.

QUESTIONS  5.2 Projectiles Launched at an Angle (these take more time to solve).

1. A cannonball is launched at 120 m/s at an angle of 35° above the horizontal.

(i) What are the initial vertical and horizontal launch velocities?

(ii) What is the maximum vertical displacement reached?

(iii) What amount of time will it take the cannonball to return to its launch height?

(iv) What horizontal displacement will it have traveled when it has returned to its launch height?

2. Captain Ed, in training new recruits, is directing a fire hose at an angle of 15° above the horizontal from the roof of one building to a different building 42 m away. If the water is leaving the hose at 35 m/s, where will the water be striking the other building?

REFERENCES:

1. This image is taken from a book on artillery by Diego Ufano (1628) that attempted to adapt the knowledge of artillerists in the attempt of understanding projectile trajectories

2. A-Level Physics Tutor: http://www.a-levelphysicstutor.com/index-mech.php

3. Extra Help – What is a Projectile: https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/vectors/Lesson-2/What-is-a-Projectile

4. Extra Help – Characteristics of a Projectile’s Trajectory: https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/vectors/Lesson-2/Characteristics-of-a-Projectile-s-Trajectory

5. Extra Help – Horizontally Launched Projectile Problems: https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/vectors/Lesson-2/Horizontally-Launched-Projectiles-Problem-Solving

6. Theory of Impetus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_impetus

Foundations of Physics Copyright © by Terrance Berg is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Two-Dimensional Kinematics

Projectile motion, learning objectives.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Identify and explain the properties of a projectile, such as acceleration due to gravity, range, maximum height, and trajectory.
• Determine the location and velocity of a projectile at different points in its trajectory.
• Apply the principle of independence of motion to solve projectile motion problems.

Projectile motion is the motion of an object thrown or projected into the air, subject to only the acceleration of gravity. The object is called a projectile , and its path is called its trajectory . The motion of falling objects, as covered in Problem-Solving Basics for One-Dimensional Kinematics, is a simple one-dimensional type of projectile motion in which there is no horizontal movement. In this section, we consider two-dimensional projectile motion, such as that of a football or other object for which air resistance  is negligible .

The most important fact to remember here is that motions along perpendicular axes are independent and thus can be analyzed separately. This fact was discussed in Kinematics in Two Dimensions: An Introduction , where vertical and horizontal motions were seen to be independent. The key to analyzing two-dimensional projectile motion is to break it into two motions, one along the horizontal axis and the other along the vertical. (This choice of axes is the most sensible, because acceleration due to gravity is vertical—thus, there will be no acceleration along the horizontal axis when air resistance is negligible.) As is customary, we call the horizontal axis the x -axis and the vertical axis the y -axis. Figure 1 illustrates the notation for displacement, where s is defined to be the total displacement and x and y are its components along the horizontal and vertical axes, respectively. The magnitudes of these vectors are s , x , and y . (Note that in the last section we used the notation A to represent a vector with components A x and A y . If we continued this format, we would call displacement s with components s x and s y . However, to simplify the notation, we will simply represent the component vectors as x and y .)

Of course, to describe motion we must deal with velocity and acceleration, as well as with displacement. We must find their components along the x – and y -axes, too. We will assume all forces except gravity (such as air resistance and friction, for example) are negligible. The components of acceleration are then very simple: a y  = – g  = –9.80 m/s 2 . (Note that this definition assumes that the upwards direction is defined as the positive direction. If you arrange the coordinate system instead such that the downwards direction is positive, then acceleration due to gravity takes a positive value.) Because gravity is vertical, a x =0. Both accelerations are constant, so the kinematic equations can be used.

Review of Kinematic Equations (constant a )

Figure 1. The total displacement s of a soccer ball at a point along its path. The vector s has components x and y along the horizontal and vertical axes. Its magnitude is s, and it makes an angle θ with the horizontal.

Given these assumptions, the following steps are then used to analyze projectile motion:

Step 1.  Resolve or break the motion into horizontal and vertical components along the x- and y-axes. These axes are perpendicular, so A x = A cos θ  and  A y  = A sin θ  are used. The magnitude of the components of displacement s along these axes are x and y. The magnitudes of the components of the velocity v are V x = V cos θ  and V y = v sin θ  where v is the magnitude of the velocity and θ is its direction, as shown in 2. Initial values are denoted with a subscript 0, as usual.

Step 2. Treat the motion as two independent one-dimensional motions, one horizontal and the other vertical. The kinematic equations for horizontal and vertical motion take the following forms:

Step 3. Solve for the unknowns in the two separate motions—one horizontal and one vertical. Note that the only common variable between the motions is time t . The problem solving procedures here are the same as for one-dimensional kinematics and are illustrated in the solved examples below.

Step 4.  Recombine the two motions to find the total displacement s and velocity v. Because the x – and y -motions are perpendicular, we determine these vectors by using the techniques outlined in the Vector Addition and Subtraction: Analytical Methods and employing [latex]A=\sqrt{{{A}_{x}}^{2}+{{A}_{y}}^{2}}\\[/latex] and θ  = tan −1  ( A y / A x ) in the following form, where θ is the direction of the displacement s and θ v is the direction of the velocity v :

Total displacement and velocity

Figure 2. (a) We analyze two-dimensional projectile motion by breaking it into two independent one-dimensional motions along the vertical and horizontal axes. (b) The horizontal motion is simple, because ax=0 and vx is thus constant. (c) The velocity in the vertical direction begins to decrease as the object rises; at its highest point, the vertical velocity is zero. As the object falls towards the Earth again, the vertical velocity increases again in magnitude but points in the opposite direction to the initial vertical velocity. (d) The x – and y -motions are recombined to give the total velocity at any given point on the trajectory.

Example 1. A Fireworks Projectile Explodes High and Away

During a fireworks display, a shell is shot into the air with an initial speed of 70.0 m/s at an angle of 75.0º above the horizontal, as illustrated in Figure 3. The fuse is timed to ignite the shell just as it reaches its highest point above the ground. (a) Calculate the height at which the shell explodes. (b) How much time passed between the launch of the shell and the explosion? (c) What is the horizontal displacement of the shell when it explodes?

Because air resistance is negligible for the unexploded shell, the analysis method outlined above can be used. The motion can be broken into horizontal and vertical motions in which a x  = 0 and a y  = – g . We can then define x 0 and y 0 to be zero and solve for the desired quantities.

Solution for (a)

By “height” we mean the altitude or vertical position y above the starting point. The highest point in any trajectory, called the apex, is reached when v y =0. Since we know the initial and final velocities as well as the initial position, we use the following equation to find y :

Figure 3. The trajectory of a fireworks shell. The fuse is set to explode the shell at the highest point in its trajectory, which is found to be at a height of 233 m and 125 m away horizontally.

Because y 0 and v y are both zero, the equation simplifies to

Solving for y gives

Now we must find v 0 y , the component of the initial velocity in the y -direction. It is given by v 0y = v 0 sin  θ , where v 0 y is the initial velocity of 70.0 m/s, and θ 0  = 75.0º is the initial angle. Thus,

v Oy = v 0 sin  θ 0 = (70.0 m/s)(sin 75º) = 67.6 m/s

[latex]y=\frac{\left(67.6\text{ m/s}\right)^{2}}{2\left(9.80\text{ m/s}^{2}\right)}\\[/latex] ,

Discussion for (a)

Note that because up is positive, the initial velocity is positive, as is the maximum height, but the acceleration due to gravity is negative. Note also that the maximum height depends only on the vertical component of the initial velocity, so that any projectile with a 67.6 m/s initial vertical component of velocity will reach a maximum height of 233 m (neglecting air resistance). The numbers in this example are reasonable for large fireworks displays, the shells of which do reach such heights before exploding. In practice, air resistance is not completely negligible, and so the initial velocity would have to be somewhat larger than that given to reach the same height.

Solution for (b)

As in many physics problems, there is more than one way to solve for the time to the highest point. In this case, the easiest method is to use [latex]y={y}_{0}+\frac{1}{2}\left({v}_{0y}+{v}_{y}\right)t\\[/latex]. Because y 0 is zero, this equation reduces to simply

[latex]y=\frac{1}{2}\left({v}_{0y}+{v}_{y}\right)t\\[/latex].

Note that the final vertical velocity, v y , at the highest point is zero. Thus,

[latex]\begin{array}{lll}t& =& \frac{2y}{\left({v}_{0y}+{v}_{y}\right)}=\frac{2\left(\text{233 m}\right)}{\left(\text{67.6 m/s}\right)}\\ & =& 6.90\text{ s}\end{array}\\[/latex].

Discussion for (b)

This time is also reasonable for large fireworks. When you are able to see the launch of fireworks, you will notice several seconds pass before the shell explodes. (Another way of finding the time is by using [latex]y={y}_{0}+{v}_{0y}t-\frac{1}{2}{\text{gt}}^{2}\\[/latex], and solving the quadratic equation for t .)

Solution for (c)

Because air resistance is negligible, a x =0 and the horizontal velocity is constant, as discussed above. The horizontal displacement is horizontal velocity multiplied by time as given by x  =  x 0  +  v x t , where x 0 is equal to zero:

x  =  v x t ,

where v x is the x -component of the velocity, which is given by v x = v 0 cos θ 0  Now,

v x  = v 0  cos  θ 0 = (70.0 m/s)(cos 75º) = 18.1 m/s

The time t for both motions is the same, and so x is

x = (18.1 m/s)(6.90 s) = 125 m.

Discussion for (c)

The horizontal motion is a constant velocity in the absence of air resistance. The horizontal displacement found here could be useful in keeping the fireworks fragments from falling on spectators. Once the shell explodes, air resistance has a major effect, and many fragments will land directly below.

In solving part (a) of the preceding example, the expression we found for y is valid for any projectile motion where air resistance is negligible. Call the maximum height y = h ; then,

[latex]h=\frac{{{v}_{0y}}^{2}}{2g}\\[/latex].

This equation defines the maximum height of a projectile and depends only on the vertical component of the initial velocity.

Defining a Coordinate System

Example 2. calculating projectile motion: hot rock projectile.

Kilauea in Hawaii is the world’s most continuously active volcano. Very active volcanoes characteristically eject red-hot rocks and lava rather than smoke and ash. Suppose a large rock is ejected from the volcano with a speed of 25.0 m/s and at an angle 35.0º above the horizontal, as shown in Figure 4. The rock strikes the side of the volcano at an altitude 20.0 m lower than its starting point. (a) Calculate the time it takes the rock to follow this path. (b) What are the magnitude and direction of the rock’s velocity at impact?

Figure 4. The trajectory of a rock ejected from the Kilauea volcano.

Again, resolving this two-dimensional motion into two independent one-dimensional motions will allow us to solve for the desired quantities. The time a projectile is in the air is governed by its vertical motion alone. We will solve for t first. While the rock is rising and falling vertically, the horizontal motion continues at a constant velocity. This example asks for the final velocity. Thus, the vertical and horizontal results will be recombined to obtain v and θ v at the final time t determined in the first part of the example.

While the rock is in the air, it rises and then falls to a final position 20.0 m lower than its starting altitude. We can find the time for this by using

[latex]y={y}_{0}+{v}_{0y}t-\frac{1}{2}{\text{gt}}^{2}\\[/latex].

If we take the initial position y 0 to be zero, then the final position is y  = −20.0 m. Now the initial vertical velocity is the vertical component of the initial velocity, found from  v Oy = v 0 sin  θ 0  = (25.0 m/s)(sin 35.0º) = 14.3 m/s. Substituting known values yields

Rearranging terms gives a quadratic equation in t :

This expression is a quadratic equation of the form at 2 + bt + c = 0 , where the constants are a  = 4.90 , b  = –14.3 , and c  = –20.0. Its solutions are given by the quadratic formula:

[latex]t=\frac{-bpm \sqrt{{b}^{2}-4\text{ac}}}{\text{2}\text{a}}\\[/latex]

This equation yields two solutions: t  = 3.96 and t  = –1.03. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to verify these solutions.) The time is t = 3.96 s or -1.03 s. The negative value of time implies an event before the start of motion, and so we discard it. Thus,

The time for projectile motion is completely determined by the vertical motion. So any projectile that has an initial vertical velocity of 14.3 m/s and lands 20.0 m below its starting altitude will spend 3.96 s in the air.

From the information now in hand, we can find the final horizontal and vertical velocities v x and v y and combine them to find the total velocity v and the angle θ 0 it makes with the horizontal. Of course, v x is constant so we can solve for it at any horizontal location. In this case, we chose the starting point since we know both the initial velocity and initial angle. Therefore:

  v x  = v 0  cos  θ 0  = (25.0 m/s)(cos 35º) = 20.5 m/s

The final vertical velocity is given by the following equation:

[latex]{v}_{y}={v}_{0y}\text{gt}\\[/latex],

where v 0y was found in part (a) to be 14.3 m/s. Thus,

To find the magnitude of the final velocity v we combine its perpendicular components, using the following equation:

[latex]v=\sqrt{{{v}_{x}}^{2}+{{v}_{y}}^{2}}=\sqrt{({20.5}\text{ m/s})^{2}+{({-24.5}\text{ m/s})^{2}}}\\[/latex]

which gives

The direction θ v is found from the equation:

The negative angle means that the velocity is 50.1º below the horizontal. This result is consistent with the fact that the final vertical velocity is negative and hence downward—as you would expect because the final altitude is 20.0 m lower than the initial altitude. (See Figure 4.)

Figure 5. Trajectories of projectiles on level ground. (a) The greater the initial speed v0, the greater the range for a given initial angle. (b) The effect of initial angle θ 0  on the range of a projectile with a given initial speed. Note that the range is the same for 15º and 75º, although the maximum heights of those paths are different.

How does the initial velocity of a projectile affect its range? Obviously, the greater the initial speed v 0 , the greater the range, as shown in Figure 5(a). The initial angle θ 0 also has a dramatic effect on the range, as illustrated in Figure 5(b). For a fixed initial speed, such as might be produced by a cannon, the maximum range is obtained with θ 0  = 45º. This is true only for conditions neglecting air resistance. If air resistance is considered, the maximum angle is approximately 38º. Interestingly, for every initial angle except 45º, there are two angles that give the same range—the sum of those angles is 90º. The range also depends on the value of the acceleration of gravity g . The lunar astronaut Alan Shepherd was able to drive a golf ball a great distance on the Moon because gravity is weaker there. The range R of a projectile on level ground for which air resistance is negligible is given by

[latex]R=\frac{{{v}_{0}}^{2}\sin{2\theta }_{0}}{g}\\[/latex],

where v 0 is the initial speed and θ 0 is the initial angle relative to the horizontal. The proof of this equation is left as an end-of-chapter problem (hints are given), but it does fit the major features of projectile range as described. When we speak of the range of a projectile on level ground, we assume that R is very small compared with the circumference of the Earth. If, however, the range is large, the Earth curves away below the projectile and acceleration of gravity changes direction along the path. The range is larger than predicted by the range equation given above because the projectile has farther to fall than it would on level ground. (See Figure 6.) If the initial speed is great enough, the projectile goes into orbit. This is called escape velocity. This possibility was recognized centuries before it could be accomplished. When an object is in orbit, the Earth curves away from underneath the object at the same rate as it falls. The object thus falls continuously but never hits the surface. These and other aspects of orbital motion, such as the rotation of the Earth, will be covered analytically and in greater depth later in this text. Once again we see that thinking about one topic, such as the range of a projectile, can lead us to others, such as the Earth orbits. In Addition of Velocities , we will examine the addition of velocities, which is another important aspect of two-dimensional kinematics and will also yield insights beyond the immediate topic.

Figure 6. Projectile to satellite. In each case shown here, a projectile is launched from a very high tower to avoid air resistance. With increasing initial speed, the range increases and becomes longer than it would be on level ground because the Earth curves away underneath its path. With a large enough initial speed, orbit is achieved.

PhET Explorations: Projectile Motion

Click to run the simulation.

Section Summary

• Projectile motion is the motion of an object through the air that is subject only to the acceleration of gravity.
• To solve projectile motion problems, perform the following steps:

1. Determine a coordinate system. Then, resolve the position and/or velocity of the object in the horizontal and vertical components. The components of position s are given by the quantities x  and y , and the components of the velocity v are given by v x =   v cos θ  and v y = v sin θ , where v  is the magnitude of the velocity and  θ  is its direction.

2. Analyze the motion of the projectile in the horizontal direction using the following equations:

Horizontal Motion ( a x = 0)

3. Analyze the motion of the projectile in the vertical direction using the following equations:

Vertical Motion (assuming positive is up a y = -g = -9.8 m/s 2 )

4. Recombine the horizontal and vertical components of location and/or velocity using the following equations:

• The maximum height  h of a projectile launched with initial vertical velocity v 0y is given by [latex]h=\frac{{{v}_{0y}}^{2}}{2g}\\[/latex].
• The maximum horizontal distance traveled by a projectile is called the range . The range R of a projectile on level ground launched at an angle  θ 0   above the horizontal with initial speed v 0 is given by [latex]R=\frac{{{{v}_{0}}^{2}}\text{\sin}{2\theta }_{0}}{g}\\[/latex].

Conceptual Questions

1. Answer the following questions for projectile motion on level ground assuming negligible air resistance (the initial angle being neither 0º nor 90º): (a) Is the velocity ever zero? (b) When is the velocity a minimum? A maximum? (c) Can the velocity ever be the same as the initial velocity at a time other than at t = 0? (d) Can the speed ever be the same as the initial speed at a time other than at  t = 0?

2. Answer the following questions for projectile motion on level ground assuming negligible air resistance (the initial angle being neither 0º nor 90º): (a) Is the acceleration ever zero? (b) Is the acceleration ever in the same direction as a component of velocity? (c) Is the acceleration ever opposite in direction to a component of velocity?

3. For a fixed initial speed, the range of a projectile is determined by the angle at which it is fired. For all but the maximum, there are two angles that give the same range. Considering factors that might affect the ability of an archer to hit a target, such as wind, explain why the smaller angle (closer to the horizontal) is preferable. When would it be necessary for the archer to use the larger angle? Why does the punter in a football game use the higher trajectory?

4. During a lecture demonstration, a professor places two coins on the edge of a table. She then flicks one of the coins horizontally off the table, simultaneously nudging the other over the edge. Describe the subsequent motion of the two coins, in particular discussing whether they hit the floor at the same time.

Problems & Exercises

1. A projectile is launched at ground level with an initial speed of 50.0 m/s at an angle of 30.0º above the horizontal. It strikes a target above the ground 3.00 seconds later. What are the x and y distances from where the projectile was launched to where it lands?

2. A ball is kicked with an initial velocity of 16 m/s in the horizontal direction and 12 m/s in the vertical direction. (a) At what speed does the ball hit the ground? (b) For how long does the ball remain in the air? (c)What maximum height is attained by the ball?

3. A ball is thrown horizontally from the top of a 60.0-m building and lands 100.0 m from the base of the building. Ignore air resistance. (a) How long is the ball in the air? (b) What must have been the initial horizontal component of the velocity? (c) What is the vertical component of the velocity just before the ball hits the ground? (d) What is the velocity (including both the horizontal and vertical components) of the ball just before it hits the ground?

4. (a) A daredevil is attempting to jump his motorcycle over a line of buses parked end to end by driving up a 32º ramp at a speed of 40.0 m/s (144 km/h). How many buses can he clear if the top of the takeoff ramp is at the same height as the bus tops and the buses are 20.0 m long? (b) Discuss what your answer implies about the margin of error in this act—that is, consider how much greater the range is than the horizontal distance he must travel to miss the end of the last bus. (Neglect air resistance.)

5. An archer shoots an arrow at a 75.0 m distant target; the bull’s-eye of the target is at same height as the release height of the arrow. (a) At what angle must the arrow be released to hit the bull’s-eye if its initial speed is 35.0 m/s? In this part of the problem, explicitly show how you follow the steps involved in solving projectile motion problems. (b) There is a large tree halfway between the archer and the target with an overhanging horizontal branch 3.50 m above the release height of the arrow. Will the arrow go over or under the branch?

6. A rugby player passes the ball 7.00 m across the field, where it is caught at the same height as it left his hand. (a) At what angle was the ball thrown if its initial speed was 12.0 m/s, assuming that the smaller of the two possible angles was used? (b) What other angle gives the same range, and why would it not be used? (c) How long did this pass take?

7. Verify the ranges for the projectiles in Figure 5 (a) for θ = 45º and the given initial velocities.

8. Verify the ranges shown for the projectiles in Figure 5(b) for an initial velocity of 50 m/s at the given initial angles.

9. The cannon on a battleship can fire a shell a maximum distance of 32.0 km. (a) Calculate the initial velocity of the shell. (b) What maximum height does it reach? (At its highest, the shell is above 60% of the atmosphere—but air resistance is not really negligible as assumed to make this problem easier.) (c) The ocean is not flat, because the Earth is curved. Assume that the radius of the Earth is 6.37 × 10 3 . How many meters lower will its surface be 32.0 km from the ship along a horizontal line parallel to the surface at the ship? Does your answer imply that error introduced by the assumption of a flat Earth in projectile motion is significant here?

10. An arrow is shot from a height of 1.5 m toward a cliff of height  H . It is shot with a velocity of 30 m/s at an angle of 60º above the horizontal. It lands on the top edge of the cliff 4.0 s later. (a) What is the height of the cliff? (b) What is the maximum height reached by the arrow along its trajectory? (c) What is the arrow’s impact speed just before hitting the cliff?

11. In the standing broad jump, one squats and then pushes off with the legs to see how far one can jump. Suppose the extension of the legs from the crouch position is 0.600 m and the acceleration achieved from this position is 1.25 times the acceleration due to gravity, g . How far can they jump? State your assumptions. (Increased range can be achieved by swinging the arms in the direction of the jump.)

12. The world long jump record is 8.95 m (Mike Powell, USA, 1991). Treated as a projectile, what is the maximum range obtainable by a person if he has a take-off speed of 9.5 m/s? State your assumptions.

13. Serving at a speed of 170 km/h, a tennis player hits the ball at a height of 2.5 m and an angle  θ  below the horizontal. The service line is 11.9 m from the net, which is 0.91 m high. What is the angle  θ such that the ball just crosses the net? Will the ball land in the service box, whose out line is 6.40 m from the net?

14. A football quarterback is moving straight backward at a speed of 2.00 m/s when he throws a pass to a player 18.0 m straight downfield. (a) If the ball is thrown at an angle of 25º relative to the ground and is caught at the same height as it is released, what is its initial speed relative to the ground? (b) How long does it take to get to the receiver? (c) What is its maximum height above its point of release?

15. Gun sights are adjusted to aim high to compensate for the effect of gravity, effectively making the gun accurate only for a specific range. (a) If a gun is sighted to hit targets that are at the same height as the gun and 100.0 m away, how low will the bullet hit if aimed directly at a target 150.0 m away? The muzzle velocity of the bullet is 275 m/s. (b) Discuss qualitatively how a larger muzzle velocity would affect this problem and what would be the effect of air resistance.

16. An eagle is flying horizontally at a speed of 3.00 m/s when the fish in her talons wiggles loose and falls into the lake 5.00 m below. Calculate the velocity of the fish relative to the water when it hits the water.

17. An owl is carrying a mouse to the chicks in its nest. Its position at that time is 4.00 m west and 12.0 m above the center of the 30.0 cm diameter nest. The owl is flying east at 3.50 m/s at an angle 30.0º below the horizontal when it accidentally drops the mouse. Is the owl lucky enough to have the mouse hit the nest? To answer this question, calculate the horizontal position of the mouse when it has fallen 12.0 m.

18. Suppose a soccer player kicks the ball from a distance 30 m toward the goal. Find the initial speed of the ball if it just passes over the goal, 2.4 m above the ground, given the initial direction to be 40º above the horizontal.

19. Can a goalkeeper at her/ his goal kick a soccer ball into the opponent’s goal without the ball touching the ground? The distance will be about 95 m. A goalkeeper can give the ball a speed of 30 m/s.

20. The free throw line in basketball is 4.57 m (15 ft) from the basket, which is 3.05 m (10 ft) above the floor. A player standing on the free throw line throws the ball with an initial speed of 7.15 m/s, releasing it at a height of 2.44 m (8 ft) above the floor. At what angle above the horizontal must the ball be thrown to exactly hit the basket? Note that most players will use a large initial angle rather than a flat shot because it allows for a larger margin of error. Explicitly show how you follow the steps involved in solving projectile motion problems.

21. In 2007, Michael Carter (U.S.) set a world record in the shot put with a throw of 24.77 m. What was the initial speed of the shot if he released it at a height of 2.10 m and threw it at an angle of 38.0º above the horizontal? (Although the maximum distance for a projectile on level ground is achieved at 45º  when air resistance is neglected, the actual angle to achieve maximum range is smaller; thus, 38º  will give a longer range than 45º  in the shot put.)

22. A basketball player is running at 5.00 m/s directly toward the basket when he jumps into the air to dunk the ball. He maintains his horizontal velocity. (a) What vertical velocity does he need to rise 0.750 m above the floor? (b) How far from the basket (measured in the horizontal direction) must he start his jump to reach his maximum height at the same time as he reaches the basket?

23. A football player punts the ball at a 45º angle. Without an effect from the wind, the ball would travel 60.0 m horizontally. (a) What is the initial speed of the ball? (b) When the ball is near its maximum height it experiences a brief gust of wind that reduces its horizontal velocity by 1.50 m/s. What distance does the ball travel horizontally?

24. Prove that the trajectory of a projectile is parabolic, having the form [latex]y=\text{ax}+{\text{bx}}^{2}\\[/latex]. To obtain this expression, solve the equation [latex]x={v}_{0x}t\\[/latex] for t  and substitute it into the expression for [latex]y={v}_{0y}t-\left(1/2\right){\text{gt}}^{2}\\[/latex]. (These equations describe the x  and y positions of a projectile that starts at the origin.) You should obtain an equation of the form [latex]y=\text{ax}+{\text{bx}}^{2}\\[/latex] where a and b are constants.

25. Derive [latex]R=\frac{{{v}_{0}}^{2}\text{\sin}{2\theta }_{0}}{g}\\[/latex] for the range of a projectile on level ground by finding the time t at which y becomes zero and substituting this value of t  into the expression for x – x 0 , noting that R = x – x 0 .

26.  Unreasonable Results (a) Find the maximum range of a super cannon that has a muzzle velocity of 4.0 km/s. (b) What is unreasonable about the range you found? (c) Is the premise unreasonable or is the available equation inapplicable? Explain your answer. (d) If such a muzzle velocity could be obtained, discuss the effects of air resistance, thinning air with altitude, and the curvature of the Earth on the range of the super cannon.

27. Construct Your Own Problem Consider a ball tossed over a fence. Construct a problem in which you calculate the ball’s needed initial velocity to just clear the fence. Among the things to determine are; the height of the fence, the distance to the fence from the point of release of the ball, and the height at which the ball is released. You should also consider whether it is possible to choose the initial speed for the ball and just calculate the angle at which it is thrown. Also examine the possibility of multiple solutions given the distances and heights you have chosen.

Selected Solutions to Problems & Exercises

1.  x = 1.30 m × 10 2 , y = 30.9 m

3. (a) 3.50 s (b) 28.6 m/s (c) 34.3 m/s (d) 44.7 m/s, 50.2º below horizontal

5. (a) 18.4º (b) The arrow will go over the branch.

7. [latex]R=\frac{{{{v}_{0}}}^{}}{\sin{2\theta }_{0}g}\\[/latex]

For θ = 45º, [latex]R=\frac{{{{v}_{0}}}^{2}}{g}\\[/latex]

R = 91.9 m for v 0  = 30 m/s; R = 163 m for v 0 ; R = 255 m for v 0 = 50 m/s

9. (a) 560 m/s (b) 800 × 10 3 m  (c) 80.0 m. This error is not significant because it is only 1% of the answer in part (b).

11. 1.50 m, assuming launch angle of 45º

13.  θ  =6.1º. Yes, the ball lands at 5.3 m from the net

15. (a) −0.486 m (b) The larger the muzzle velocity, the smaller the deviation in the vertical direction, because the time of flight would be smaller. Air resistance would have the effect of decreasing the time of flight, therefore increasing the vertical deviation.

17. 4.23 m. No, the owl is not lucky; he misses the nest.

19. No, the maximum range (neglecting air resistance) is about 92 m.

21. 15.0 m/s

23. (a) 24.2 m/s (b) The ball travels a total of 57.4 m with the brief gust of wind.

25. [latex]y-{y}_{0}=0={v}_{0y}t-\frac{1}{2}{gt}^{2}=\left({v}_{0}\sin\theta\right)t-\frac{1}{2}{gt}^{2}\\[/latex] ,

so that [latex]t=\frac{2\left({v}_{0}\sin\theta \right)}{g}\\[/latex]

[latex]x-{x}_{0}={v}_{0x}t=\left({v}_{0}\cos\theta \right)t=R\\[/latex], and substituting for t  gives:

[latex]R={v}_{0}\cos\theta \left(\frac{{2v}_{0}\sin\theta}{g}\right)=\frac{{{2v}_{0}}^{2}\sin\theta \cos\theta }{g}\\[/latex]

since [latex]2\sin\theta \cos\theta =\sin 2\theta\\[/latex], the range is:

[latex]R=\frac{{{v}_{0}}^{2}\sin 2\theta }{g}\\[/latex].

• College Physics. Authored by : OpenStax College. Located at : http://cnx.org/contents/031da8d3-b525-429c-80cf-6c8ed997733a/College_Physics . License : CC BY: Attribution . License Terms : Located at License
• PhET Interactive Simulations . Authored by : University of Colorado Boulder . Located at : http://phet.colorado.edu . License : CC BY: Attribution

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• Horizontally Launched Projectile Problems

x = v i x •t + 0.5*a x *t 2

v f x  = v i x  + a x •t

v f x 2  = v i x 2  + 2*a x •x

Of these three equations, the top equation is the most commonly used. The other two equations are seldom (if ever) used. An application of projectile concepts to each of these equations would also lead one to conclude that any term with a x in it would cancel out of the equation since a x = 0 m/s/s .

For the vertical components of motion, the three equations are

y = v iy •t + 0.5*a y *t 2

v fy  = v iy  + a y •t

v fy 2  = v iy 2  + 2*a y •y

In each of the above equations, the vertical acceleration of a projectile is known to be -9.8 m/s/s (the acceleration of gravity).

As discussed earlier in Lesson 2 , the v ix and v iy values in each of the above sets of kinematic equations can be determined by the use of trigonometric functions. The initial x-velocity (v ix ) can be found using the equation v ix = v i •cosine(Theta) where Theta is the angle that the velocity vector makes with the horizontal. The initial y-velocity (v iy ) can be found using the equation v iy = v i •sine(Theta) where Theta is the angle that the velocity vector makes with the horizontal. The topic of components of the velocity vector was discussed earlier in Lesson 2.

To illustrate the usefulness of the above equations in making predictions about the motion of a projectile, consider their use in the solution of the following problem.

The solution of any non-horizontally launched projectile problem (in which v i and Theta are given) should begin by first resolving the initial velocity into horizontal and vertical components using the trigonometric functions discussed above . Thus,  

In this case, it happens that the v ix and the v iy values are the same as will always be the case when the angle is 45-degrees.

The solution continues by declaring the values of the known information in terms of the symbols of the kinematic equations - x, y, v ix , v iy , a x , a y , and t. In this case, the following information is either explicitly given or implied in the problem statement :  

As indicated in the table, the final x-velocity (v fx ) is the same as the initial x-velocity (v ix ). This is due to the fact that the horizontal velocity of a projectile is constant ; there is no horizontal acceleration . The table also indicates that the final y-velocity (v fy ) has the same magnitude and the opposite direction as the initial y-velocity (v iy ). This is due to the symmetrical nature of a projectile's trajectory .

The unknown quantities are the horizontal displacement, the time of flight, and the height of the football at its peak. The solution of the problem now requires the selection of an appropriate strategy for using the kinematic equations and the known information to solve for the unknown quantities. There are a variety of possible strategies for solving the problem. An organized listing of known quantities in two columns of a table provides clues for the selection of a useful strategy.

From the vertical information in the table above and the second equation listed among the vertical kinematic equations (v fy = v iy + a y *t), it becomes obvious that the time of flight of the projectile can be determined. By substitution of known values, the equation takes the form of

The physics problem now takes the form of an algebra problem. By subtracting 17.7 m/s from each side of the equation, the equation becomes

If both sides of the equation are divided by -9.8 m/s/s, the equation becomes

(rounded from 3.6077 s)

The total time of flight of the football is 3.61 seconds.

With the time determined, information in the table and the horizontal kinematic equations can be used to determine the horizontal displacement (x) of the projectile. The first equation (x = v ix •t + 0.5•a x •t 2 ) listed among the horizontal kinematic equations is suitable for determining x. With the equation selected, the physics problem once more becomes transformed into an algebra problem. By substitution of known values, the equation takes the form of

Since the second term on the right side of the equation reduces to 0, the equation can then be simplified to

The horizontal displacement of the projectile is 63.8 m.

Finally, the problem statement asks for the height of the projectile at is peak. This is the same as asking, "what is the vertical displacement (y) of the projectile when it is halfway through its trajectory?" In other words, find y when t = 1.80 seconds (one-half of the total time ). To determine the peak height of the projectile (y with t = 1.80 sec), the first equation (y = v iy •t +0.5•a y •t 2 ) listed among the vertical kinematic equations can be used. By substitution of known values into this equation, it takes the form of

Using a calculator, this equation can be simplified to

The solution to the problem statement yields the following answers: the time of flight of the football is 3.61 s , the horizontal displacement of the football is 63.8 m , and the peak height of the football 15.9 m .

(Note that in all calculations performed above, unrounded numbers were used. The numbers reported in the preliminary steps and in the final answer were the rounded form of the actual unrounded values.)  

A Typical Problem-Solving Approach

The following procedure summarizes the above problem-solving approach.

• Use the given values of the initial velocity (the magnitude and the angle) to determine the horizontal and vertical components of the velocity (v ix and v iy ).
• Carefully read the problem and list known and unknown information in terms of the symbols of the kinematic equations. For convenience sake, make a table with horizontal information on one side and vertical information on the other side.
• Identify the unknown quantity that the problem requests you to solve for.
• Select either a horizontal or vertical equation to solve for the time of flight of the projectile. For non-horizontally launched projectiles, the second equation listed among the vertical equations (v fy = v iy + a y *t) is usually the most useful equation.
• With the time determined, use a horizontal equation (usually x = v ix *t + 0.5*a x *t 2 ) to determine the horizontal displacement of the projectile.
• Finally, the peak height of the projectile can be found using a time value that is one-half the total time of flight. The most useful equation for this is usually y = v iy *t +0.5*a y *t 2 .

One caution is in order: the sole reliance upon 4- and 5-step procedures to solve physics problems is always a dangerous approach. Physics problems are usually just that - problems! And problems can often be simplified by the use of short procedures as the one above. However, not all problems can be solved with the above procedure. While steps 1, 2 and 3 above are critical to your success in solving non-horizontally launched projectile problems, there will always be a problem that doesn't "fit the mold." Problem solving is not like cooking; it is not a mere matter of following a recipe. Rather, problem solving requires careful reading, a firm grasp of conceptual physics, critical thought and analysis, and lots of disciplined practice. Never divorce conceptual understanding and critical thinking from your approach to solving problems.

Your Turn to Try It!

Freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementname: "physicsclassroom_incontent_3", slotid: "physicsclassroom_incontent_3" });, check your understanding.

A long jumper leaves the ground with an initial velocity of 12 m/s at an angle of 28-degrees above the horizontal. Determine the time of flight, the horizontal distance, and the peak height of the long-jumper.

As a first step, use trigonometric function to determine the initial velocity components:

Horiz: v ix =(12 m/s) • cos (28 deg) =10.6 m/s Vert: v iy =(12 m/s) • sin (28 deg) = 5.6 m/s

Then set up an x-y table, listing the known information.

Horizontal Info: Vertical Info: x = ??? y = 0.0 m (total); y peak = ??? v ix = 10.6 m/s v iy = 5.6 m/s v y-peak = 0 m/s v fy = -5.6 m/s a x = 0 m/s/s a y = -9.8 m/s/s

Use v fy = v iy + a y • t total and vertical info to solve for time; the time of flight is 1.1 seconds (rounded from 1.1497 s).

Now use x = v ix • t + 0.5 • a x • t 2 to solve for x. Note that a x is 0 m/s/s so the last term on the right side of the equation cancels. By substituting 10.6 m/s for v ix and 1.1497 s for t (the unrounded time), the x can be found to be 12.2 m (rounded from 12.1817 m)

Finally, use t up = 0.5748 s and the equation y peak = v iy • t up + 0.5 • a y • t up 2 with vertical info to find the y at the peak. Substituting and solving yields 1.6 m (rounded from 1.6193 m)

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Grade 12: Physics Worksheet on Projectile Motion

Looking to master projectile motion in your physics class? Check out our comprehensive worksheet with detailed solutions to help you understand the concepts and excel in your studies!

There is also a pdf  for worksheets with answers.

A summary of projectile motion:

Any motion having the following conditions is called a projectile motion.     (i) Follows a parabolic path (trajectory).     (ii) Moves under the influence of gravity. 

The projectile motion formulas applied to solve two-dimensional projectile motion problems are as follows \begin{gather*} x=(v_0\cos\theta)t+x_0\\\\y=-\frac 12 gt^2+(v_0\sin\theta)t+y_0\\\\ v_y=v_0\sin\theta-gt\\\\v_y^2-(v_0\sin\theta)^2=-2g(y-y_0)\end{gather*} 

Projectile motion problems and answers

Problem (1): A person kicks a ball with an initial velocity of 15 m/s at an angle of 37° above the horizontal (neglecting the air resistance). Find  (a) the total time the ball is in the air.  (b) the horizontal distance traveled by the ball

Solution : The initial step in answering any projectile motion questions is to establish a coordinate system and sketch the path of the projectile, including its initial and final positions and velocities. 

By doing so, you will be able to solve the relevant projectile equations easily. 

Hence, we choose the origin of the coordinate system to be at the throwing point, $x_0=0, y_0=0$. 

(a) Here, we are seeking the time it takes for the projectile to travel from the point of release to the ground.  

In reality, projectiles have two independent motions: one in the horizontal direction with uniform motion at a constant velocity (i.e., $a_x=0$), and the other in the vertical direction under the effect of gravity (with $a_y=-g$).  

The kinematic equations that describe the horizontal and vertical distances are as follows:  \begin{gather*} x=x_0+(\underbrace{v_0\cos \theta}_{v_{0x}})t \\ y=-\frac 12 gt^2+(\underbrace{v_0\sin \theta}_{v_{0y}})t+y_0\end{gather*} By substituting the coordinates of the initial and final points into the vertical equation, we can find the total time the ball is in the air.

Setting $y=0$ in the second equation (because the projectile lands at the same level as the throwing point.), we have: \begin{align*} y&=-\frac 12 gt^2+(v_0\sin \theta)t+y_0\\\\ 0&=-\frac 12 (9.8)t^2+(15)\sin 37^\circ\,t+0 \end{align*} By rearranging the above expression, we can obtain two solutions for $t$: \begin{gather*} t_1=0 \\\\ t_2=\frac{2\times 15\sin37^\circ}{9.8}=1.84\,{\rm s}\end{gather*} The first time represents the starting moment, and the second represents the total time the ball was in the air. 

(b) As previously mentioned, projectile motion consists of two independent motions with different positions, velocities, and accelerations, each described by distinct kinematic equations. 

The time it takes for the projectile to reach a specific point horizontally is equal to the time it takes to fall vertically to that point. Therefore, time is the common factor in both the horizontal and vertical motions of a projectile.

In this particular problem, the time calculated in part (a) can be used in the horizontal kinematic equation to determine the distance traveled. 

Substituting the obtained time into the equation, we find that the projectile travels a distance of 22.08 meters. \begin{align*} x&=x_0+(v_0\cos \theta)t \\ &=0+(15)\cos 37^\circ\,(1.84) \\ &=22.08\quad {\rm m}\end{align*}

Be sure to check the following questions.

If you are getting ready for the AP Physics exam, these problems on the kinematics equation (or these AP Physics Kinematics Problems ) are probably also useful to you. 

Problem (2): A ball is thrown into the air at an angle of 60° above the horizontal with an initial velocity of 40 m/s from a  50-m-high building. Find  (a) The time to reach the top of its path. (b) The maximum height the ball reached from the base of the building.

Solution : In the previous question, we found that the motion of a projectile consists of two distinct vertical and horizontal movements.

We learned about how to find distances in both directions using relevant kinematic equations. 

There is also another set of kinematic equations that discuss the velocities in vertical and horizontal directions as follows \begin{gather*} v_x=v_{0x}=v_0\cos\theta \\ v_y=v_{0y}-gt=v_0\sin\theta-gt\end{gather*} As you can see, the horizontal component of the velocity, $v_x$, is constant throughout the motion, but the vertical component varies with time. 

As an important note, keep in mind that in the problems about projectile motions, at the highest point of the trajectory, the vertical component of the velocity is always zero, i.e., $v_y=0$. 

To solve the first part of the problem, specify two points as the initial and final points, then solve the relevant kinematic equations between those points.

Here, setting $v_y=0$ in the second equation and solving for the unknown time $t$, we have \begin{align*} v_y&=v_{0y}-gt \\\\ &=v_0\sin\theta-gt \\\\ 0&=(40)(\sin 60^\circ)-(9.8)(t) \\\\ \Rightarrow t&=\boxed{3.53\, {\rm s}}\end{align*} Thus, the time taken to reach the maximum height of the trajectory (path) is 3.53 seconds from the moment of the launch. We call this maximum time $t_{max}$. 

(b) Let the origin be at the throwing point, so $x_0=y_0=0$ in the kinematic equations. In this part, the vertical distance traveled to the maximum point is requested. 

By substituting $t_{max}$ into the vertical distance projectile equation, we can find the maximum height as below \begin{align*} y-y_0&=-\frac 12 gt^2 +(v_0 \sin \theta)t\\ \\ y_{max}&=-\frac 12 (9.8)(3.53)^2+(40 \sin 60^\circ)(3.53)\\\\ &=61.22\quad {\rm m}\end{align*} Therefore, the maximum height at which the ball is reached from the base of the building is \[H=50+y_{max}=111.22\quad {\rm m}\] 

For further reading about uniform motion along the horizontal direction, see  speed, velocity, and acceleration problems .

Problem (3): A person standing on the edge of a 50-m-high cliff throws a stone horizontally at a speed of 18 m/s.  (a) What is the initial position of the stone?  (b) What are the components of the initial velocity? (c) What are the $x$- and $y$-components of the velocity of the stone at any arbitrary time $t$? (d) How long will it take the stone to strike the bottom of the cliff? (e) With what angle and speed does the stone strike the ground below the cliff?

Solution : As mentioned repeatedly, as a first step to solving a projectile motion problem, choose a relevant coordinate system. 

(a) Usually, we place the origin of the coordinate system at the point where the projectile is thrown. In this case, the coordinate of the initial position is $x_0=0\, , \, y_0=0$.

If we had chosen the coordinate at the base of the cliff and placed the origin at that point, the position of the initial point would have been $x_0=0\, , \, y_0=50\,\rm m$. 

(b) The stone is thrown horizontally with $\theta=0$, so there is no vertical velocity component. Consequently, its initial speed components are $v_{0x}=18\,\rm m/s$ and $v_{0y}=0$. 

(c) Remember that the velocity components of a projectile change over time according to the following formula. Substituting the given values into it, we get:  \begin{align*} v_x&=v_{0x}=18\,\rm m/s \\\\ v_y&=v_{0y}-gt\\&=-9.8t \end{align*}  (d) If we take the top of the cliff to be the origin of our coordinate system, with  $x_0=y_0=0$, the stone hits the ground $50\,\rm m$ below our chosen origin. Therefore, the coordinates of that point would be $x_0=?\, ,\, y=-50\,\rm m$. 

Use the vertical displacement kinematic equation below, substitute the numerical values into that, and solve for time $t$ get \begin{gather*} y-y_0=-\frac 12 gt^2+v_{0y}t \\\\ -50-0=-\frac 12 (9.8)t^2-0 \\\\ \Rightarrow \quad \boxed{t=3.2\,\rm s} \end{gather*}  (e) First, find the velocity components just before the stone hits the ground. We know that it takes about $3.2\,\rm s$ for the stone to reach the bottom of the cliff. Thus, put this time value into the formulas of velocity components at any time $t$. \begin{align*} v_x&=v_{0x}=18\,\rm m/s \\\\ v_y&=v_{0y}-gt\\&=-9.8\times 3.2 \\&=-31.36\,\rm m/s \end{align*} Notice that the negative sign here indicates that the vertical velocity component just before hitting the ground points downward, as expected. 

Recall from the section on  vector practice problems that when we have the components of a vector, we can find its magnitude using the Pythagorean theorem. This gives us: \begin{align*} v&=\sqrt{v_x^2+v_y^2} \\\\ &=\sqrt{18^2+(-31.36)^2} \\ &=\boxed{36.15\,\rm m/s} \end{align*} We can also find the angle of impact with the ground using the velocity components: \begin{align*} \tan\theta&=\frac{v_y}{v_x} \\\\ &=\frac{-31.36}{18} \\\\ &=-1.74 \end{align*} Taking the inverse tangent of both sides gives: \[\theta=\tan^{-1}(-1.74)=\boxed{-60.1^\circ} \] Therefore, the stone hit the ground at an angle of about $60^\circ$ with a speed of $36.15\,\rm m/s$. The negative angle indicates that it is below horizontal, which is to be expected.

Problem (4): A book slides off a frictionless tabletop with a constant speed of 1.1 m/s, and 0.35 seconds later strikes the floor.  (a) How high is the tabletop from the floor? (b) What is the horizontal distance to that point where the book strikes the floor? (c) How fast and at what angle does the book strike the floor? 

Solution : The total time the book is in the air is $t=0.35\,\rm s$, and the initial speed with which the book leaves the table horizontally is $v_{0x}=1.1\,\rm m/s$, and $v_{0y}=0$. 

Contrary to the earlier question, in this case, for practice, we place the origin at the bottom of the tabletop. Thus, the coordinates of the initial position would be $x_0=0\, ,\, y_0=h=?$ and the coordinates of the landing point would be $x=? \, , \, y=0$. 

(a) If we substitute the given values into the vertical displacement kinematic equation, we will have \begin{gather*} y-y_0=-\frac 12 gt^2+v_{0y}t \\\\ 0-h=-\frac 12 (9.8)(1.1)^2+0 \\\\ \Rightarrow \quad \boxed{h=5.93\,\rm m} \end{gather*} Thus, the table is 3-m-high.

(b)  Remember that projectile motion involves two motions that are uniformly accelerated in the horizontal and vertical directions.  The time taken by the projectile in the vertical direction is equal to the horizontal time to the landing point.  

Between the start and final points in the horizontal direction of the projectile path, we can write $\Delta x=v_{0x}t$. Substituting the given values into is get \begin{gather*} x-0=1.1\times (0.35) \\ \Rightarrow \quad \boxed{x=0.385\,\rm m} \end{gather*} where $\Delta x=x-x_0$. Therefore, the book strikes the floor about $39\,\rm cm$ ahead of the base of the table. 

(c) This part is straightforward. Substitute the given numerical values into the velocity vector component formulas as below to find the velocity components just before the book strikes the floor. \begin{align*} v_x&=v_{0x}=1.1\,\rm m/s \\\\ v_y&=v_{0y}-gt \\\\ &=0-(9.8)(0.35) \\&=-3.43\,\rm m/s \end{align*} The square root of the sum of the velocity components squared gives the velocity of the book at the instant of hitting \begin{align*} v&=\sqrt{v_x^2+v_y^2} \\\\ &=\sqrt{1.1^2+(-3.43)^2} \\\\ &=\boxed{3.6\,\rm m/s} \end{align*}  and angle of impact with the ground is found as below \begin{align*} \theta&=\tan^{-1}\left(\frac{v_y}{v_x}\right) \\\\ &=\tan^{-1}\left(\frac{-3.43}{1.1}\right) \\\\ &=\tan^{-1}(-3.11) \\\\&=\boxed{-72.17^\circ} \end{align*} Overall, the book hit the ground at an angle of about $72^\circ$ with a speed of nearly $3.6\,\rm m/s$. 

Problem (5): A cannonball is fired from a cliff with a speed of 800 m/s at an angle of 30° below the horizontal. How long will it take to reach 150 m below the firing point? 

Solution: First, choose the origin to be at the firing point, so $x_0=y_0=0$. Now, list the known values as follows      (i) Projectile's initial velocity = $800\,{\rm m/s}$      (ii) Angle of projectile: $-30^\circ$, the negative sign is because the throw is below the horizontal.     (iii) y-coordinate of the final point, 150 m below the origin, $y=-150\,{\rm m}$.       In this problem, the time it takes for the cannonball to reach 100 m below the starting point is required. 

Since the displacement to that point is known, we apply the vertical displacement projectile formula to find the needed time as below \begin{align*} y-y_0&=-\frac 12 gt^2+(v_0\sin\theta)t\\\\-150&=-\frac 12 (9.8)t^2+(800)\sin(-30^\circ)t\\\\ \Rightarrow & \ 4.9t^2+400t-150=0\end{align*} The above quadratic equation has two solutions, $t_1=0.37\,{\rm s}$ and $t_2=-82\,{\rm s}$. It is obvious that the second time is not acceptable.

Therefore, the cannonball takes 0.37 seconds to reach 150 meters below the firing point. 

Problem (6): Someone throws a stone into the air from ground level. The horizontal component of velocity is 25 m/s and it takes 3 seconds for the stone to come back to the same height as before. Find  (a) The range of the stone. (b) The initial vertical component of velocity (c) The angle of projection. 

Solution: The known values are      (i) The initial horizontal component of velocity, $v_{0x}=25\,{\rm m/s}$.      (ii) The time between the initial and final points, which are at the same level, $t=3\,{\rm s}$. 

(a)  The range of projectile motion is defined as the horizontal distance between the launch point and impact at the same elevation.

Because the horizontal motion in projectiles is a motion with constant velocity, the distance traveled in this direction is obtained as $x=v_{0x}t$, where $v_{0x}$ is the initial component of the velocity. 

If you put the total time the projectile is in the air into this formula, you get the range of the projectile. 

In this problem, the stone is thrown from the ground level and, after 3 seconds, reaches the same height. Thus, this is the total time of the projectile. 

Hence, the range of the stone is found as below \begin{align*} x&=v_{0x}t\\&=(25)(3)\\&=75\,{\rm m}\end{align*}

(b)  The initial vertical component of the projectile's velocity appears in two equations, $v_y=v_{0y}-gt$ and $y-y_0=-\frac 12 gt^2+v_{0y}t$. 

Using the second formula is more straightforward because the stone reaches the same height, so its vertical displacement between the initial and final points is zero, i.e., $y-y_0=0$. Setting this into the vertical distance projectile equation, we get \begin{align*} y-y_0&=-\frac 12 gt^2+v_{0y}t\\\\ 0&=-\frac 12 (9.8)(3)^2+v_{0y}(3) \\\\ \Rightarrow v_{0y}&=14.7\quad{\rm m/s}\end{align*} To use the first formula, we need some extra facts about projectile motion in the absence of air resistance, as below      (i) The vertical velocity is zero at the highest point of the path of the projectile, i.e., $v_y=0$.     (ii) If the projectile lands at the same elevation from which it was launched, then the time it takes to reach the highest point of the trajectory is half the total time between the initial and final points.      The second note, in the absence of air resistance, is only valid. 

In this problem, the total flight time is 3 s because air resistance is negligible, so 1.5 seconds are needed for the stone to reach the maximum height of its path. 

Therefore, using the second equation, we can find $v_{0y}$ as below \begin{align*} v_y&=v_{0y}-gt\\0&=v_{0y}-(9.8)(1.5) \\\Rightarrow v_{0y}&=14.7\quad {\rm m/s}\end{align*}  (c) The projection angle is the angle at which the projectile is thrown into the air and performs a two-dimensional motion. 

Once the components of the initial velocity are available, using trigonometry, we can find the angle of projection as below \begin{align*} \theta&=\tan^{-1}\left(\frac{v_{0y}}{v_{0x}}\right)\\\\&=\tan^{-1}\left(\frac{14.7}{25}\right)\\\\&=+30.45^\circ\end{align*} Therefore, the stone is thrown into the air at an angle of about $30^\circ$ above the horizontal.

Problem (7): A ball is thrown at an angle of 60° with an initial speed of 200 m/s. (Neglect the air resistance.) (a) How long is the ball in the air? (b) Find the maximum horizontal distance traveled by the ball. (c) What is the maximum height reached by the ball?

Solution: We choose the origin to be the ball's initial position so that $x_0=y_0=0$. The given data is      (i) The projection angle: $60^\circ$.     (ii) Initial speed : $v_0=200\,{\rm m/s}$. 

(a) The initial and final points of the ball are at the same level, i.e., $y-y_0=0$. 

Thus, the total time the ball is in the air is found by setting $y=0$ in the projectile equation $y=-\frac 12 gt^2+v_{0y}t$ and solving for time $t$ as below \begin{align*} y&=-\frac 12 gt^2+(v_0\sin\theta)t\\\\0&=-\frac 12 (9.8)t^2+(200)(\sin 60^\circ)t\\\\\Rightarrow \quad & \boxed{(-4.9t+100\sqrt{3})t=0} \end{align*} The above expression has two solutions for $t$. One is the initial time, $t_1=0$, and the other is computed as $t_2=35.4\,{\rm s}$. 

Hence, the ball has been in the air for about 35 s. 

(b) The horizontal distance is called the range of the projectile. By inserting the above time (total flight time) into the horizontal distance projectile equation $x=v_{0x}t$, we can find the desired distance traveled. \begin{align*} x&=(v_0\cos\theta)t\\&=(200)(\cos 60^\circ)(35.4)\\&=3540 \quad {\rm m}\end{align*} Therefore, the ball hits the ground 3540 meters away from the throwing point.

(c) Using the projectile equation $v_y^2-v_{0y}^2=-2g(y-y_0)$, setting $v_y=0$ at the highest point of the path, and solving for the vertical distance $y$, the maximum height is found as follows \begin{align*} v_y^2-v_{0y}^2&=-2g(y-y_0)\\0-(200\sin 60^\circ)^2&=-2(9.8)y\\\Rightarrow y&=1531\quad {\rm m}\end{align*} Another method: As mentioned above, the ball hits the ground at the same level as before, so by knowing the total flight time and halving it, we can find the time it takes the ball to reach the highest point of its trajectory. 

Therefore, by setting the half of the total flight time in the following projectile kinematic formula and solving for $y$, we can find the maximum height as \begin{align*} y-y_0&=-\frac 12 gt^2+(v_0\sin\theta)t\\\\y&=-\frac 12 (9.8)(17.7)^2+(200\sin60^\circ)(17.7)\\\\&=1531\quad {\rm m}\end{align*} Hence, the ball reaches 1531 meters above the launch point. 

Problem (8): What are the horizontal range and maximum height of a bullet fired with a speed of 20 m/s at 30° above the horizontal?

Solution : first, find the total flight time, then insert it into the horizontal displacement projectile equation $x=v_{0x}t$ to find the range of the bullet.

Because the bullet lands at the same level as the original, its vertical displacement is zero, $y-y_0=0$, in the following projectile formula we can find the total flight time \begin{align*} y-y_0&=-\frac 12 gt^2+(v_0\sin\theta)t\\\\0&=-\frac 12 (9.8)t^2+(20)(\sin30^\circ)t\\\\ \Rightarrow & (-4.9t+10)t=0\end{align*} Solving for time $t$ gives two solutions: one is the initial time $t_1=0$, and the other is $t_2=1.02\,{\rm s}$. Thus the total time of flight is 2.04 s. 

Therefore, the maximum horizontal distance traveled by the bullet, which is defined as the range of the projectile, is calculated as \begin{align*} x&=(v_0\cos\theta)t\\&=(20\cos 30^\circ)(2.04)\\&=35.3\quad {\rm m}\end{align*} Hence, the bullet lands about 17 m away from the launch point.

Because the air resistance is negligible and the bullet lands at the same height as the original, the time it takes to reach the highest point of its path is always half the total flight time. 

On the other hand, recall that the vertical component of velocity at the maximum height is always zero, i.e., $v_y=0$. By inserting these two notes into the following projectile equation, we have \begin{align*} y&=-\frac 12 gt^2+(v_0\sin\theta)t\\\\&=-\frac 12 (9.8)(1.02)^2+(20\sin 30^\circ)(1.02)\\\\&=5.1\quad {\rm m}\end{align*} We could also use the kinematic equation $v_y^2-v_{0y}^2=-2g(y-y_0)$, to find the maximum height as below \begin{align*} v_y^2-(v_0 \sin \theta)^2 &=-2g(y-y_0) \\ 0-(20\sin 30^\circ)^2 &=-2(9.8)H\\ \Rightarrow H&= 5.1\quad {\rm m} \end{align*} I think the second method is much simpler. 

Problem (9): A projectile is fired horizontally at a speed of 8 m/s from an 80-m-high cliff. Find  (a) The velocity just before the projectile hits the ground.  (b) The angle of impact.

Solution : In this problem, the angle of the projectile is zero because it is fired horizontally. 

The velocity at each point of a projectile trajectory (path) is obtained by the following formula: \[v=\sqrt{v_x^2+v_y^2}\] where $v_x$ and $v_y$ are the horizontal and vertical components of the projectile's velocity at any instant of time. 

(a) Recall that the horizontal component of the projectile's velocity is always constant and, for this problem, is found as \begin{align*} v_x&=v_0\cos\theta\\&=8\times \cos 0^\circ\\&=8\quad {\rm m/s}\end{align*} To find the vertical component of the projectile velocity at any moment, $v_y=v_0\sin\theta-gt$, we should find the time taken to reach that point. 

In this problem, that point is located just before striking the ground, whose coordinates are $y=-80\,{\rm m}, x=?$.

Because it is below the origin, which is assumed to be at the firing point, we inserted a minus sign. 

Because displacement in the vertical direction is known, we can use the projectile formula for vertical distance. 

By setting $y=-80$ into it and solving for the time $t$ needed the projectile reaches the ground, we get \begin{align*} y&=-\frac 12 gt^2+(v_0\sin\theta)t\\\\-80&=-\frac 12 (9.8)t^2+(8\times \sin 0^\circ)t\\\\\Rightarrow t&=\sqrt{\frac{2(80)}{9.8}}\\\\&=2.86\quad {\rm s}\end{align*} Now insert this time into the $y$-component of the projectile's velocity to find $v_y$ just before hitting the ground \begin{align*} v_y&=v_0\sin\theta-gt\\ &=8\sin 0^\circ-(9.8)(2.86)\\&=-28\quad {\rm m/s}\end{align*} Now that both components of the velocity are available, we can compute its magnitude as below \begin{align*} v&=\sqrt{v_x^2+v_y^2}\\\\&=\sqrt{8^2+(-28)^2}\\\\&=29.1\quad {\rm m/s}\end{align*} Therefore, the projectile hits the ground at a speed of 29.1 m/s. 

(b) At any instant of time, the velocity of the projectile makes some angle with the horizontal, whose magnitude is obtained as the follows: \[\alpha=\tan^{-1}\left(\frac{v_y}{v_x}\right)\] Substituting the above values into this formula, we get \[\alpha =\tan^{-1}\left(\frac{-28}{8}\right)=-74^\circ\] Therefore, the projectile hits the ground at an angle of 74° below the horizontal. 

Problem (10): From a cliff 100 m high, a ball is kicked at $30^\circ$ above the horizontal with a speed of $20\,{\rm m/s}$. How far from the base of the cliff did the ball hit the ground? (Assume $g=10\,{\rm m/s^2}$).  

Solution: Again, similar to any projectile motion problem, we first select a coordinate system and then draw the path of the projectile as shown in the figure below, 

We choose the origin to be at the kicking point above the cliff, setting $x_0=y_0=0$ in the kinematic equations. 

The coordinate of the hitting point to the ground is $y=-100\,{\rm m}, x = ?$. A negative is inserted because the final point is below the origin.

Now, we find the common quantity in projectile motions—that is, the time between the initial and final points, called total flight time.

To find the total time the ball was in the air, we can use the vertical equation and solve for the unknown $t$ as follows \begin{align*} y&=-\frac 12 gt^2 +(v_0\sin \theta)t \\\\ -100&=-\frac 12 (10) t^2+(20\sin 30^\circ)t\\\\&\Rightarrow \quad \boxed{t^2-2t-20=0} \end{align*} The solutions of a quadratic equation $at^2+bt+c=0$ are found by the formula below \[t=\frac{-b\pm\sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}\] By matching the above constant coefficients with the standard quadratic equation, we can find the total time as below \[t=\frac{-(-2)\pm\sqrt{(-2)^2-4(1)(-20)}}{2(1)}\] After simplifying, two solutions are obtained, $t_1=5.6\,{\rm s}$ and $t_2=-3.6\,{\rm s}$. 

It is obvious that time cannot be negative in physics, so the acceptable answer is $t_1$.

It is the time it takes the ball to travel in the vertical direction. On the other hand, it is also the time it takes the ball to travel the horizontal distance between kicking and hitting points. 

We insert this time into the horizontal equation to find the horizontal distance traveled, known as the projectile's range. \begin{align*} x&=(v_0\cos \theta)t\\ &=(20)(\cos 30^\circ)(5.6)\\&=97\quad {\rm m}\end{align*} 

Problem (11): A cannonball is fired from the top of a $200\,{\rm m}$ cliff with a speed of $60\,{\rm m/s}$ at an angle of $60^\circ$ above the horizontal. Where does the ball land closest to which of the following choices? (Neglect air resistance.) (a) 90m        (b) 402 m        (c) 151 m     (d) 200 m

Solution : The horizontal distance from the point where the cannonball fired is wanted, $x=?$. The appropriate kinematic equation for this is \[x=(v_0\cos\theta)t\] The only thing we need is the total time the ball is in the air before landing.

If we take the firing point as the origin, then the cannonball lands $200\,{\rm m}$ below the origin. So, the ball's vertical displacement is $\Delta y=-200\,{\rm m}$. Set this in the vertical displacement equation, $\Delta y=-\frac 12 gt^2+(v_0\sin\theta)t$, and solve for $t$. \begin{gather*} \Delta y=-\frac 12 gt^2 +(v_0\sin\theta)t \\\\ -200=-\frac 12 (10)t^2 +(60\sin 60^\circ)t \\\\  \Rightarrow\quad 5t^2-30\sqrt{3}t-200=0 \\\\ \boxed{t^2-6\sqrt{3}t-40=0}\end{gather*} where we used $\sin 60^\circ=\frac{\sqrt{3}}2$. Using a graphing calculator plot this equation and find its intersections with the horizontal. Consequently, the total flight time is \[\boxed{t=13.4\,{\rm m}}\] Now, substitute this into the horizontal displacement projectile equation below \begin{align*} x&=(v_0\cos\theta)t \\\\ &=(60\,\cos 60^\circ)(13.4) \\\\ &=402\,{\rm m}\end{align*} Thus, the correct answer is (b).

Problem (12): During a kicking drill, a soccer player kicks two successive balls at different angles but with exactly the same speed. The paths that the balls follow are depicted in the figure shown. Which ball remains in the air for a longer time? Neglect air resistance.

Solution : both balls land at the same level (or the ground), so the total vertical displacement of both is the same, $\Delta y_1=\Delta y_2=0$. The initial kicking speeds are equal $v_{01}=v_{02}$ and as seen from the figure, ball $1$ has greater kicking angle than ball $2$, i.e., $\theta_1>\theta_2$. Setting $\Delta y=0$ in the following equation and solving for $t$, gives us the total time the ball is in the air \begin{gather*} \Delta y=-\frac 12 gt^2+(v_0 \sin\theta)t \\\\ 0=-\frac 12 gt^2+(v_0 \sin\theta)t \\\\ \Rightarrow \boxed{t=\frac{2v_0 \sin\theta}{g}} \end{gather*} Now, substitute the given data into the equation to compare the flight time of both balls \begin{gather*} \theta_1>\theta_2 \\ \sin\theta_1 > \sin\theta_2 \\\\ \frac{2v_0 \sin\theta_1}{g} > \frac{2v_0 \sin\theta_2}{g} \\\\ \Rightarrow \boxed{t_1>t_2} \end{gather*} Thus, ball $1$ will be in the air for a longer time. 

Author : Dr. Ali Nemati Date Published: 6/15/2021

Updated:  Jun 22, 2023

© 2015 All rights reserved. by Physexams.com

Physics Problems with Solutions

Projectile problems with solutions and explanations.

Projectile problems are presented along with detailed solutions . These problems may be better understood when projectile equations are first reviewed. An interactive html 5 applet may be used to better understand the projectile equations.

Problem 1: An object is launched at a velocity of 20 m/s in a direction making an angle of 25° upward with the horizontal. a) What is the maximum height reached by the object? b) What is the total flight time (between launch and touching the ground) of the object? c) What is the horizontal range (maximum x above ground) of the object? d) What is the magnitude of the velocity of the object just before it hits the ground? Solution to Problem 1

Problem 5: A ball kicked from ground level at an initial velocity of 60 m/s and an angle θ with ground reaches a horizontal distance of 200 meters. a) What is the size of angle θ? b) What is time of flight of the ball? Solution to Problem 5

Problem 6: A ball of 600 grams is kicked at an angle of 35° with the ground with an initial velocity V 0 . a) What is the initial velocity V 0 of the ball if its kinetic energy is 22 Joules when its height is maximum? b) What is the maximum height reached by the ball Solution to Problem 6

Problem 7: A projectile starting from ground hits a target on the ground located at a distance of 1000 meters after 40 seconds. a) What is the size of the angle θ? b) At what initial velocity was the projectile launched? Solution to Problem 7

Problem 8: The trajectory of a projectile launched from ground is given by the equation y = -0.025 x 2 + 0.5 x, where x and y are the coordinate of the projectile on a rectangular system of axes. a) Find the initial velocity and the angle at which the projectile is launched. Solution to Problem 8

Problem 9: Two balls A and B of masses 100 grams and 300 grams respectively are pushed horizontally from a table of height 3 meters. Ball has is pushed so that its initial velocity is 10 m/s and ball B is pushed so that its initial velocity is 15 m/s. a) Find the time it takes each ball to hit the ground. b) What is the difference in the distance between the points of impact of the two balls on the ground? Solution to Problem 9

More References and links

• Velocity and Speed: Tutorials with Examples
• Velocity and Speed: Problems with Solutions
• Acceleration: Tutorials with Examples
• Uniform Acceleration Motion: Problems with Solutions
• Uniform Acceleration Motion: Equations with Explanations

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Projectile Motion Formula

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What is Projectile Motion Formula?

Projectile motion is a captivating topic in physics , deeply rooted in the foundational work of Galileo Galilei. Galileo was the first to accurately describe the characteristics of projectile motion, distinguishing the independent roles of horizontal and vertical motions in the trajectory of an object under the influence of gravity. The key formulas that calculate the velocity, distance, and trajectory of a projectile. The horizontal velocity (𝑉ₓ​) of a projectile is constant throughout its flight, given by

• 𝑉𝑥𝑜​ is the initial horizontal velocity.

In contrast the, c (𝑉ᵧ) changes over time due to gravity and is calculated using the formula

• g = Acceleration due to gravity
• 𝑡 = Time elapsed.

The projectile’s horizontal distance is simply

reflecting the consistency of horizontal motion. Meanwhile, the vertical distance ( y ) it covers is determined by

To calculate the maximum height (𝐻) a projectile reaches, we use

The total horizontal range ( R ) of the projectile is derived from

highlighting the influence of the launch angle (𝜃) and initial velocity (𝑉ₒ​). The time of flight until the projectile hits the ground again (assuming it lands back at the same vertical level it was launched) can be found by setting 𝑦(𝑡)=0 and solving for 𝑡 :

Solving this quadratic equation, we get:

This is the total time the projectile spends in the air. These formulas are essential tools in physics, enabling accurate predictions and a deeper understanding of the motion of objects in a gravitational field.

Applications of Projectile Motion Formula

• Sports : Coaches use projectile motion to improve athletes’ performance in sports like basketball, football, and volleyball by optimizing throwing angles and velocities.
• Engineering : Engineers design trajectories for objects such as rockets and missiles, ensuring accuracy and efficiency in their paths.
• Video Games : Developers simulate realistic movements for objects in games, enhancing the gaming experience by adhering to the laws of physics.
• Forensic Science : Experts Reconstruct crime scenes involving trajectories, such as Determining the path of a bullet in shootings.
• Military : The military applies these formulas to predict the impact points of projectiles, improving the accuracy of artillery fire.
• Aerospace : Scientists calculate the orbits of satellites and other spacecraft, ensuring they enter the correct orbits around the Earth or other celestial bodies.
• Education : Teachers and students use projectile motion to understand fundamental physics concepts, illustrating the practical application of Newtonian mechanics.

Example Problems on Projectile Motion Formula

Example 1: calculating maximum height.

Problem: A soccer player kicks a ball at an initial vertical velocity of 20 𝑚/𝑠. Calculate the maximum height the ball reaches.

Solution: We use the formula for maximum height: 𝐻=𝑉ᵧₒ² / 2𝑔

Plugging in the values: 𝐻 = (20 𝑚/𝑠)² / (2×9.81 𝑚/𝑠²) = 40019.62 ≈ 20.39 𝑚

Result: The soccer ball reaches a maximum height of approximately 20.39 𝑚.

Example 2: Finding Horizontal Range

Problem: An athlete throws a javelin at a speed of 30 𝑚/𝑠 from an angle of 45 relative to the Horizontal. Calculate the horizontal range of the javelin.

Solution: The formula for Horizontal range is: 𝑅 = ( 𝑉ₒ² × sin⁡(2𝜃) ) / 𝑔

For 𝜃=45, sin⁡(90) = 1:

𝑅 = (30 𝑚/𝑠)² × 19.81 𝑚/𝑠² = 9009.81 ≈ 91.74 𝑚

Result: The javelin covers a Horizontal distance of approximately 91.74 𝑚.

Example 3: Determining Time of Flight

Problem: A basketball is thrown with an initial Velocity of 12 𝑚/𝑠 at an angle of 60. Calculate the total time the basketball spends in the air.

Solution: First, calculate the initial Vertical Velocity (𝑉ᵧₒ​):

𝑉ᵧₒ = 𝑉ₒ × sin⁡(𝜃) = 12 𝑚/𝑠 × sin⁡(60) = 12 × 0.866≈10.392 𝑚/𝑠

The total time in the air (𝑡 t ) is given by the time to rise to the peak and the time to fall back down, using:

𝑡=(2 ×𝑉ᵧₒ ) / 𝑔 = ( 2 × 10.392 𝑚/𝑠 ) / 9.81 𝑚/𝑠² ≈ 2.12 𝑠

Result: The basketball stays in the air for approximately 2.12 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑠.

What is the Use of the Projectile Motion Formula?

The projectile motion formula calculates the path, range, and duration of an object thrown into the air under gravity’s influence.

Define Trajectory

A trajectory is the curved path a projectile follows.

Projectile Motion Calculator

Projectile motion step by step.

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