Unit 6 Projectile Motion Projectiles, Trajectory and Inertia The most common example of an object that is moving in two

dimensions is a projectile. A projectile is an object upon which the only force acting is gravity. There are a variety of examples of projectiles. Any thrown object is a projectile, assuming that air resistance is negligible. A projectile is any object that once projected or dropped continues in motion by its own inertia and is influenced only by the downward force of gravity. By definition, a projectile has a single force that acts upon it - the force of gravity. If there were any other force acting upon an object, then that object would not be a projectile. Thus, the free-body diagram of a projectile would show a single force acting downwards and labeled force of gravity, regardless of whether a projectile is moving in any direction. Many students have difficulty with the concept that the only force acting upon an upward moving projectile is gravity. Their conception of motion prompts them to think that if an object is moving upward and rightward, there must be both an upward and rightward force. Their belief is that forces cause motion. Such students do not believe strongly in Newtonian physics. Newton's laws suggest that forces are only required to cause an acceleration. A force is not required to keep an object in motion, as stated in Newtons first law. Consider a cannonball shot horizontally from a very high cliff at a high speed. And suppose for a moment that the gravity switch could be turned off such that the cannonball would travel in the absence of gravity? What would the motion of such a cannonball be like? How could its motion be described? According to Newton's first law of motion, such a cannonball would continue in motion in a straight line at constant speed. If not acted upon by an unbalanced force, "an object in motion will ..." Gravity acts to influence the vertical motion of the projectile, thus causing a vertical acceleration. Due to the absence of horizontal forces, a projectile remains in motion with a constant horizontal velocity !
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 Learn more : http://www.physicsclassroom.com/mmedia/vectors/mzng.cfm In projectile motion, vertical and horizontal components are discussed separately. Using the cannon on a tall cliff as a guiding example, the projectile travels with a constant horizontal velocity and a downward vertical acceleration when gravity is switched on. The balls acceleration is 9.8 downwards and its velocity (combined components) is therefore changing. Unit 6 Projectile Motion Learn more : http://www.physicsclassroom.com/mmedia/vectors/hlp.cfm Learn more (Launched at an angle) : http://www.physicsclassroom.com/mmedia/vectors/nhlp.cfm Checkpoint 1 1.Suppose a snowmobile is equipped with a flare launcher that is capable of launching a sphere vertically (relative to the snowmobile). If the snowmobile is in motion and launches the flare and maintains a constant horizontal velocity after the launch, then where will the flare land (neglect air resistance)? ___________________________________ 2.Suppose a rescue airplane drops a relief package while it is moving with a constant horizontal speed at an elevated height. Assuming that air resistance is negligible, where will the relief package land relative to the plane? ____________________________ Learn more for Question 1 and 2 : http://www.physicsclassroom.com/mmedia/vectors/tb.cfm http://www.physicsclassroom.com/mmedia/vectors/pap.cfm Calculating Components for Simple Projectile Motion Consider again the cannonball launched by a cannon from the top of a very high cliff. Suppose that the cannonball is launched horizontally with no upward angle whatsoever and with an initial speed of 20 m/s. If there were no gravity, the cannonball would continue in motion at 20 m/s in the horizontal direction. Yet in actuality, gravity causes the
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cannonball to accelerate downwards at a rate of 9.81 m s-2. This means that the vertical velocity is changing by 9.81 m/s every second. Similarly, if it is assumed that an object is projected at an angle upwards with a velocity of 19.6 m/s, then after 1 sec it becomes 9.8 m/s, then after another second it is momentarily at rest in midair, and falls later. Now let us discuss calculations related to horizontal and vertical components of projectiles. Take Y as the vertical displacement and X as the horizontal displacement. Y can be calculated using the equation learnt from basic kinematics :
Y = ut + 1 2 at = 0.5 gt 2 , where g = acceleration due to gravity and t = time in 2

seconds Since the horizontal component is only influenced by the initial velocity, X can be calculated by : X = vt , where v = initial velocity and t = time in seconds For calculating Y in situations where the projectile is launched at an angle to the horizontal :
Y = ut + 1 2 at , where u is the initial velocity of the projectile. 2

Unit 6 Projectile Motion Checkpoint 2 1.Annaline drops a ball from rest from the top of 78.4-meter high cliff. How much time will it take for the ball to reach the ground and at what height will the ball be after each second of motion?

2.A cannonball is launched horizontally from the top of an 78.4meter high cliff with a velocity of 4 m/s. How much time will it take for the ball to reach the ground and at what height will the ball be after each second of travel?

3.Refer to Question 2, draw a plot diagram to represent the trajectory of the ball. Hence, calculate the displacement of the ball in vertical two-dimension.

4.A cannonball is projected from a tall cliff of 1000m with an initial velocity. After certain time, it falls onto the ground 1000m below the cliff, 5000m away from the initial position in horizontal direction. Find the magnitude of the initial velocity

Answers for Checkpoint 1 and Checkpoint 2 1. The flare lands inside the the snowmobile 2. The package lands directly below the plane Checkpoint 2 :
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1. 4 seconds 4.350 m/s

2. 4 seconds

3. 80m, S11.5 E

Unit 6 Projectile Motion Initial Velocity Components We had just discussed that the horizontal and vertical motions of a projectile are independent of each other. Thus, an analysis of the motion of a projectile demands that the two components of motion are analyzed independent of each other, being careful not to mix horizontal motion information with vertical motion information. Vector resolution is the method of taking a single vector at an angle and separating it into two perpendicular parts. The analysis of projectile motion problems begins by using trigonometric methods to determine the horizontal and vertical components of the initial velocity. Practice vector resolution with the following examples by resolving the initial velocity ! 1.A water balloon is launched with a speed of 40 m/s at an angle of 60 degrees to the horizontal 2.A motorcycle stunt person traveling 31.3 m/s jumps off a ramp at an angle of 35 to the horizontal 3.A springboard diver jumps with a velocity of 10 m/s at an angle of 80 degrees to the horizontal. Suggested answers in corresponding order : >Horizontal components : 20, 25.6, 1.7 >Vertical components : 34.6, 17.9, 9.8 After understanding how to resolve velocities into components, you can pretty-much solve any problems involving projectile motion! Let us look at the first type of problem, which is finding the time of flight of a projectile : The time for a projectile to rise vertically to its peak (as well as the time to fall from the peak) is dependent upon vertical motion parameters. The process of rising vertically to the peak of a trajectory is a vertical motion and is thus dependent upon the initial vertical velocity and the vertical acceleration (g = 9.8 m/s2, down). For example, if a projectile is moving upwards with a velocity of 39.2 m/s at 0 seconds, then its velocity will be 29.4 m/s after 1 second, 19.6 m/s after 2 seconds, and finally 0 m/s after 4 seconds. It takes 4 seconds for it to reach the peak where its vertical velocity is 0 m/s. With this notion in mind, it is evident that the time for a projectile to rise to its peak is a matter of dividing the vertical component of the initial velocity by the acceleration of gravity : t =
vi g

Another problem is the determination of the peak height achieved by the projectile. We can simply use the formula for calculating vertical displacement Y

when launched at an angle, and substitute t as time required to reach the peak. Checkpoint 3 1.Bob Beamon has made a record-breaking long jump in the Olympic games in 1986. He jumped a horizontal distance of 8.9 m with an initial velocity of 9.5 m/s at an angle of 40 . a) It is known that the runway before his leap is 30 m long. Calculate Bobs average acceleration before his jump. b) Find the peak height reached by Bob Beamon. Hence, determine whether the same jump can be used to leap over a high-jump fence of 2 m height from the ground. Unit 6 Projectile Motion 2. Megan is a golf pro. She hits a ball with a velocity of 25 m/s at an angle of 60 to the horizontal a) Megans golf club has a mass of 2 kg and its velocity before hitting the ball is 12 m/s. After it hits the ball, it stops immediately. Determine the mass of the ball. b) Determine the time of flight of the golf ball if the landing point of the ball is at the same level as the original position of the ball. c)Megan wants the golf ball to fly for at least 5 seconds before landing. Determine the minimum initial velocity required to achieve this

3. Kevin launches a football at an angle of 30 to the horizontal. The football reaches a horizontal distance of 79.5 m when it first lands at the same level. a) Determine the initial velocity of the football (Hint : Set up two equations) b) Kevin wants to launch the football to half the distance with the same initial velocity. What is the angle to the horizontal needed to achieve this?

4.Fill in the
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blanks A = __________ B = __________ C = __________ D = __________ E = __________ F = __________ G = __________ H = _________ L = _________ P = _________

in the table below

I = __________ M = __________ Q = __________

J = __________ N = __________ R = __________

K = __________ O = ___________

Answers for Checkpoint 3 1a) 1.50 m/s2 1b) 1.9 m, He cannot 2a) 1 kg 2b) 4.42 second 2c) 49 m/s 3a) 30 m/s 3b) 12.5 4) A: 14.9 m B: 164 m C: 2.93 s D: 5.85 s E: 42.0 m F: 240 m G: 19.2 m/s H: 16.1 m/s I: 1.64 s J: 3.28 s K: 79.9 7 L: 19.7 m/s M: 2.01 s N: 4.02 s O: 19.7 m/s P: 3.47 m/s Q: 0.354 s R: 0.709 s Unit 6 Projectile Motion Mathematical and Algebraic Problems in Projectile Motion Lets look at some arithmetic real-life applications of calculations related to projectile motion. You can practice using the example questions but there is no answers for reference! Type 1 : Falls off an edge A projectile is launched with an initial horizontal velocity from an elevated position and follows a parabolic path to the ground. Questions may ask initial speed, initial height, time of flight, horizontal distance of the projectile E.g. (1) : A pool ball leaves a 0.60-meter high table with an initial horizontal velocity of 2.4 m/s. Predict the time required for the pool ball to fall to the ground and the horizontal distance between the table's edge and the ball's landing location Type 2 : Parabolic Catapult A projectile is launched at an angle to the horizontal and rises upwards to a peak while moving horizontally. Upon reaching the peak, the projectile falls with a motion that is symmetrical to its path
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upwards to the peak. Questions may ask time of flight, horizontal range, and peak height E.g. (2) : A football is kicked with an initial velocity of 25 m/s at an angle of 45degrees with the horizontal. Determine the time of flight, the horizontal distance, and the peak height of the football Remember to make good use of kinematic equations to solve horizontal or vertical projectile motion. Those equations are : > v 2 = u 2 + 2as > s = ut + at 2
1 2

> v = u + at

Below is an example which shows how to solve a projectile problem : Q : A pool ball leaves a 0.60-meter high table with an initial horizontal velocity of 2.4 m/s. Predict the time required for the pool ball to fall to the ground and the horizontal distance between the table's edge and the ball's landing location. This type of question simply requires you to choose suitable kinematic equations for calculation. Type 2 questions which are more complicated can ask you to set up 2 simultaneous equations with 2 unknowns, from the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the projectiles motion respectively. A : Time required is 0.350 s and horizontal distance is 0.84 m Try these questions ! Only one answer is provided for the last question, though ! 1.A soccer ball is kicked horizontally off a 22.0-meter high hill and lands a distance of 35.0 meters from the edge of the hill. Determine the initial horizontal velocity of the soccer ball. 2.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. 3.A soccer ball is kicked horizontally off a 22.0-meter high hill and lands a distance of 35.0 meters from the edge of the hill. Determine the initial horizontal velocity of the soccer ball. Answers for Q3 = 16.5 m/s Unit 6 Projectile Motion Checkpoint 4 1. Determine the launch speed of a horizontally launched projectile that lands 26.3 meters from the base of a 19.3-meter high cliff

2. A soccer ball is kicked horizontally at 15.8 m/s off the top of a field house and lands 33.9 metes from the base of the field house. Determine the height of the field house

3a) Determine the range of a ball launched with a speed of 40.0 m/s at angles of from ground level. (i) 40.0 degrees

(ii) 45.0 degrees

(iii) 50.0 degrees

3b) For the three initial launch angles in question 3a, determine the corresponding peak heights. Hence, deduce which angle can launch the ball the highest

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3c) For the three initial launch angles in question 3a, determine the corresponding horizontal distances. Hence, deduce which angle can launch the ball the furthest

3. A zookeeper has a monkey that he must feed daily. The monkey spends most of the day in the trees just hanging from a branch. When the zookeeper launches a banana to the monkey, the monkey has the peculiar habit of dropping from the trees the moment that the banana is launched. The banana is launched with a speed of 16.0 m/s at a direction of 51.3 above the horizontal (which would be directly at the monkey). The monkey is initially at rest in a tree 25.0-m above the ground.

Determine the horizontal and vertical displacements of the banana and the monkey at 0.5second time intervals. Then plot the trajectories of both banana and monkey on the diagram below.

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