PROJECTILE MOTION

 Projectile motion, like that in Figs. 4-8 and 4-9, looks complicated, but we have the following
simplifying feature (known from experiment):
 In projectile motion, the horizontal motion and the vertical motion are independent of each
other; that is, neither motion affects the other.
This feature allows us to break up a problem involving two-dimensional motion into two separate and
easier one-dimensional problems,
 one for the horizontal motion (with zero acceleration) and
 one for the vertical motion (with constant downward acceleration).
Here are two experiments that show that the horizontal motion and the vertical motion are
independent.

The Horizontal Motion

Now we are ready to analyze projectile motion, horizontally and vertically. We start with the horizontal
motion. Because there is no acceleration in the horizontal direction, the horizontal component vx of the
projectile’s velocity remains unchanged from its initial value v0 x throughout the motion, as
demonstrated in Fig. 4-12. At any time t, the projectile’s horizontal displacement x = x 0 from an initial
position x 0 is given by Eq. 2-15 with a = 0 , which we write as

The Vertical Motion

The vertical motion is the motion we discussed in Module 2-5 for a particle in free fall. Most important
is that the acceleration is constant. Thus, the equations of Table 2-1 apply, provided we substitute a = -g
and switch to y notation. Then, for example, Eq. 2-15 becomes

As is illustrated in Fig.4-9 and Eq.4-23, the vertical velocity component behaves just as for a ball thrown
vertically upward. It is directed upward initially, and its magnitude steadily decreases to zero, which
marks the maximum height of the path. The vertical velocity component then reverses direction, and its
magnitude becomes larger with time.

The Equation of the Path

We can find the equation of the projectile’s path (its trajectory) by eliminating time t between Eqs. 4-21
and 4-22. Solving Eq. 4-21 for t and substituting into Eq. 4-22, we obtain, after a little rearrangement,

This is the equation of the path shown in Fig.4-9. In deriving it, for simplicity we let x 0 = 0 and y 0 = 0 in
Eqs.4-21 and 4-22, respectively. Because are constants, Eq. 4-25 is of the form y = ax+bx 2,
in which a and b are constants. This is the equation of a parabola, so the path is parabolic.
The Horizontal Range
The horizontal range R of the projectile is the horizontal distance the projectile has travelled when it
returns to its initial height (the height at which it is launched). To find range R, let us put x - x 0 = R in
Eq. 4-21 and y - y 0 = 0 in Eq. 4-22, obtaining

Eliminating t between these two equations yields

 This equation does not give the horizontal distance travelled by a projectile when the final height
is not the launch height. Note that R in Eq. 4-26 has its maximum value when

 The horizontal range R is maximum for a launch angle of 45°.

 However, when the launch and landing heights differ, as in many sports, a launch angle of 45°
does not yield the maximum horizontal distance.

The Effects of the Air

We have assumed that the air through which the projectile moves has no effect on its motion. However, in many
situations, the disagreement between our calculations and the actual motion of the projectile can be large because
the air resists (opposes) the motion. Figure 4-13, for example, shows two paths for a fly ball that leaves the bat at
an angle of 60 ° with the horizontal and an initial speed of 44.7 m/ s. Path I (the baseball player’s fly ball) is a
calculated path that approximates normal conditions of play, in air. Path II (the physics professor’s fly ball) is the
path the ball would follow in a vacuum.

Figure 4-13 (I) The path of a fly ball calculated by taking air resistance into account. (II) The path the ball would follow in a vacuum, calculated
by the methods of this chapter. See Table 4-1 for corresponding data. (Based on “The Trajectory of a Fly Ball,” by Peter J. Brancazio, The
Physics Teacher, January 1985.)
Sample Problem : Projectile dropped from airplane
In Fig. 4-14, a rescue plane flies at 198 km/ h (= 55.0 m/ s) and constant height h = 50 0 m toward a
point directly over a victim, where a rescue capsule is to land. (a) What should be the angle φ of the
pilot’s line of sight to the victim when the capsule release is made?

Main Points: O nce released, the capsule is a projectile, so its horizontal and vertical motions can be
considered separately (we need not consider the actual curved path of the capsule).
Calculations: In Fig. 4-14, we see that φ is given by

where x is the horizontal coordinate of the victim (and of the capsule when it hits the water) and h =
50 0 m. We should be able to find x with Eq. 4-21:

Here we know that x 0 = 0 because the origin is placed at the point of release. Because the capsule is
released and not shot from the plane, its initial velocity is equal to the plane’s velocity. Thus, we
know also that the initial velocity has magnitude v0 = 55.0 m/ s and angle θ0 = 0 ° (measured relative to
the positive direction of the x axis). However, we do not know the time t the capsule takes to move
from the plane to the victim. To find t, we next consider the vertical motion and specifically Eq.4-22:

Here the vertical displacement y -y 0 of the capsule is -50 0 m (the negative value indicates that the
capsule moves downward). So,

Solving for t, we find t =10 .1 s. Using that value in Eq.4-28 yields

Then Eq. 4-27 gives us

(Answer)
(b) As the capsule reaches the water, what is its velocity?
Main Points: (1) The horizontal and vertical components of the capsule’s velocity are independent.
(2) Component vx does not change from its initial value v0 x = v0 cos θ0 because there is no horizontal
acceleration.
(3) Component vy changes from its initial value v0 y = v0 sin θ0 because there is a vertical acceleration.
Calculations: When the capsule reaches the water,

Using Eq.4-23 and the capsule’s time of fall, t = 10 .1 s, we also find that when the capsule reaches the
water,

Thus, at the water

From Eq. 3-6, the magnitude and the angle of are

*************

Sample Problem : Launched into the air from a water slide

A man is sliding along a long water slide and
then launched into the air to land in a water
pool. TheFigure4-15a indicates launch and
landing sites and includes a superimposed
coordinate systemwith its origin conveniently
located at the launch site. From the Figure we
take the horizontal flight distance as D = 20 m,
theflight time as t = 2.50 s, and the launch
angle as θ0 = 40 °. Find the magnitude of the
velocity at launch and at landing.
MAIN POINTS: (1) For projectile motion,
we can apply the equations for constant
acceleration along the horizontal and vertical
axes separately. (2) Throughout the flight, the
vertical acceleration is ay = -g = -9.8 m/ s and the horizontal acceleration is ax = 0 .
Calculations: In most projectile problems, the initial challenge is to figure out where to start. There is
nothing wrong with trying out various equations, to see if we can somehow get to the velocities. But
here is a clue. Because we are going to apply the constant-acceleration equations separately to the x and
y motions, we should find the horizontal and vertical components of the velocities at launch and at
landing.
For each site, we can then combine the velocity components to get the velocity. Because we know the
horizontal displacement D = 20 .0 m, let’s start with the horizontal motion.
Since ax = 0 , we know that the horizontal velocity component vx is constant during the flight and thus is
always equal to the horizontal component v0 x at launch.
We can relate that component, the displacement and the flight time t = 2.50 s with Eq. 2-15:

Substituting ax = 0 , this becomes Eq. 4-21.With x -x0 = D, we then write

That is a component of the launch velocity, but we need the magnitude of the full vector, as shown in
Fig. 4-15b, where the components form the legs of a right triangle and the full vector forms the
hypotenuse. We can then apply a trig definition to find the magnitude of the full velocity at launch:

and so

Now let’s go after the magnitude v of the landing velocity. We already know the horizontal component,
which does not change from its initial value of 8.0 0 m/ s.To find the vertical component vy and because
we know the elapsed time t = 2.50 s and the vertical acceleration ay = -9.8 m/ s2, let’s rewrite Eq. 2-11 as
and then (from Fig. 4-15b) as (4-33)
Substituting ay= -g, this becomes Eq. 4-23.We can then write

Now that we know both components of the landing velocity, we use Eq.3-6 to find the velocity
magnitude: