1. Projectile Motion
AP Physics C

2. What is projectile?
Projectile -Any object which projected by some means and continues to move due to its own inertia (mass).

3. Projectiles move in TWO dimensions
Since a projectile moves in 2-dimensions, it therefore has 2 components just like a resultant vector.
Horizontal and Vertical

4. Horizontal “Velocity” Component
NEVER changes, covers equal displacements in equal time periods. This means the initial horizontal velocity equals the final horizontal velocity
Why is the horizontal velocity constant?

5. Vertical “Velocity” Component
Changes (due to gravity), does NOT cover equal displacements in equal time periods.
What happens to the vertical velocity as projectile rises?
What happens to the vertical as projectile falls?

6. Combining the Components
Together, these components produce what is called a trajectory or path. This path is parabolic in nature.
Component
Magnitude
Direction
Horizontal
Vertical

7. Vertically Launched Projectiles
NO Vertical Velocity at the top of the trajectory.
Vertical Velocity decreases on the way upward
Vertical Velocity increases on the way down,
Horizontal Velocity is constant
Component
Magnitude
Direction
Horizontal
Vertical

8. Vertically Launched Projectiles
Since the projectile was launched at a angle, the velocity MUST be broken into components!!! vo
voy q
vox

9. Vertically Launched Projectiles
There are several things you must consider when doing these types of projectiles besides using components. If it begins and ends at ground level, the “y” displacement is ZERO: y = 0

10. Thought Question 1
Suppose you run at constant speed and wish to throw a ball so that you can catch it as it comes back down. In what direction should you throw the ball?

11. Thought Question 2
As the projectile moves in its parabolic path, is there any point along its path where the velocity and acceleration vectors are (a) perpendicular to each other? (b) parallel to each other?

12. Thought Question 3
A home run is hit in a baseball game. The ball is hit from home plate into the stands, along a parabolic path. What is the acceleration of the ball (a) while it is rising, (b) at the highest point of the trajectory, and (c) while it is descending after reaching the highest point?

13. Vertically Launched Projectiles
You will still use kinematic #2, but YOU MUST use COMPONENTS in the equation. vo
voy q
vox

14. Example
A place kicker kicks a football with a velocity of 20.0 m/s and at an angle of 53 degrees.
(a) How long is the ball in the air?
(b) How far away does it land?
(c) How high does it travel?
vo=20.0 m/s
15.97 m/s, m/s
q = 53

15. Example
What I know
What I want to know
vox=12.04 m/s
voy=15.97 m/s
A place kicker kicks a football with a velocity of 20.0 m/s and at an angle of 53 degrees.
(a) How long is the ball in the air?
3.26 s

16. Example
A place kicker kicks a football with a velocity of 20.0 m/s and at an angle of 53 degrees.
(b) How far away does it land?
What I know
What I want to know
39.24 m

17. Example What I know What I want to know
A place kicker kicks a football with a velocity of 20.0 m/s and at an angle of 53 degrees.
(c) How high does it travel?
13.01 m

18. A special case…
What if the projectile was launched from the ground at an angle and did not land at the same level height from where it started? In other words, what if you have a situation where the “y-displacement” DOES NOT equal zero?
Let's look at the second kinematic closely!
Assuming it is shot from the ground. We see we have one squared term variable, one regular term variable, and a constant number with no variable. What is this? !

19. A special case example
An object is thrown from the top of a 100m high cliff at an initial speed of 20 m/s. How long does it take to reach the ground?

20. Example What I know What I want to know voy=-20.0 m/s t = ? y= 0 m
g = m/s/s
GOTO F2 ( which is the Algebra screen) CHOOSE SOLVE.
Type in the equation.
In this example our equation and set the it equal to zero. Then add a comma after the equation and tell it that you want it to solve for, in this case "t".

21. Example
It will respond by showing you exactly what you typed and the TWO ROOTS!
Since we are solving for time we choose the positive root as
TIME cannot be negative. Thus it took 2.92 seconds for the ball to hit the ground.

22. Example
A stone is thrown from the top of a bio;domg at am angle of 30 degrees to the horizontal and with an initial speed of 20 m/s. If the height of the building is 45 m,
How long is the stone “in flight”?
What is the speed of the stone just before it strikes the ground?
Where does the stone strike the ground?
a) 4.22 s b) 35.9 m/s c) 73 m from the base of the building