Projectile m otion

Proj ectile
A body w hich is in flight through the atm osphere under the
effect of gravity alone and is not being propelled by any fuel is
called projectile.
Example:
(i) A bom b released from an aeroplane in level flight
(ii) A bullet fired from a gun
(iii) A n arrow released from bow
(iv) A Javelin throw n by an athlete
Assumptions of Projectile Moti on
(1) There is no resistance due to air.
(2) The effect due to curvature of earth is negligible.
(3) The effect due to rotation of earth is negligible.
(4) For all points of the trajectory, the acceleration due to
gravity gis constant in m agnitude and direction.
Principle of Physical Independence of Motions
(1) The m otion of a projectile is a tw o-dim ensional m otion.
So, it can be discussed in tw o parts. H orizontal m otion and
vertical m otion. These tw o m otions take place independent of
each other. This is called the principle of physical independence
of m otions.
(2) The velocity of the particle can be resolved into tw o
m utually perpendicular com ponents. H orizontal com ponent and
vertical com ponent.
(3) The horizontal com ponent rem ains unchanged
throughout the flight. The force of gravity continuously affects the
vertical com ponent.
(4) The horizontal m otion is a uniform m otion and the vertical
m otion is a uniform ly accelerated or retarded m otion.
Types of Proj ectile Motion
(1) O blique projectile m otion
(2) H orizontal projectile m otion
(3) Projectile m otion on an inclined plane











Obli que Proj ectile
In projectile m otion, horizontal com ponent of velocity (u
cos), acceleration (g) and m echanical energy rem ains constant
w hile, speed, velocity, vertical com ponent of velocity (u sin ),
m om entum , kinetic energy and potential energy all changes.
V elocity, and KE are m axim um at the point of projection w hile
m inim um (but not zero) at highest point.
(1) Equation of traj ectory : A projectile is throw n w ith
velocity u at an angle w ith the horizontal. The velocity u can be
resolved into tw o rectangular com ponents.






v cos com ponent along Xaxis and u sin com ponent
along Yaxis.
For horizontal m otion x = u cos t
cos u
x
t =
(i)
For vertical m otion
2
2
1
) sin ( gt t u y = (ii)
From equation (i) and (ii)
|
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|
=

2 2
2
cos 2
1
cos
sin
u
x
g
u
x
u y

2 2
2
cos 2
1
tan
u
gx
x y =
This equation show s that the trajectory of projectile is
parabolic because it is sim ilar to equation of parabola
y = ax bx
2

Note: Equation of oblique projectile also can be
w ritten as
(

=
R
x
x y 1 tan (w here R = horizontal range =
g
u 2 sin
2
)
(2) Di splacement of projectile ) r (

: Let the particle

acquires a position P having the coordinates (x, y) just after tim e t
from the instant of projection. The corresponding position vector
of the particle at tim e t is r

as show n in the figure.

j y i x r

+ =

(i)
The horizontal distance covered during tim e t is given as
t u x t v x
x
cos = = (ii)
The vertical velocity of the particle at tim e t is given as
, ) (
0
gt v v
y y
= (iii)

X
Y
Y
X
X
Y

Fig :

X
Y
O
u
u sin
u cos
y
x
P
Fig



v

x
v

y
v

P (x, y)
x
O
y
r

X
Y
v
i
Fig :

Projectile m otion
N ow the vertical displacem ent y is given as
2
2 / 1 sin gt t u y = (iv)
Putting the values of x and y from equation (ii) and
equation (iv) in equation (i) w e obtain the position vector at any
tim e t as
j gt t u i t u r

2
1
) sin (

) cos (
2
|
.
|

\
|
+ =

2
2 2
2
1
) sin ( ) cos ( |
.
|

\
|
+ = gt t u t u r
u
gt
u
gt
t u r
sin
2
1
2
|
.
|

\
|
+ = and ) / ( tan
1
x y

=
|
|
|
|
.
|

\
|

=

) cos (
2
1
sin
tan
2
1

t u
gt ut
or
|
|
.
|

\
|
=

cos 2
sin 2
tan
1
u
gt u

(3) I nstantaneous velocity v : In projectile m otion,
vertical com ponent of velocity changes but horizontal com ponent
of velocity rem ains alw ays constant.
Let v
i
be the instantaneous velocity of projectile at tim e t,
direction of this velocity is along the tangent to the trajectory at
point P.
j v i v v
y x i

+ =

2 2
y x i
v v v + =

2 2 2
) sin ( cos gt u u + =
sin 2
2 2 2
gt u t g u v
i
+ =
D irection of instantaneous velocity

cos
sin
tan
u
gt u
v
v
x
y
= =
or
(

=

sec tan tan
1
u
gt

(4) Change i n velocity : Initial velocity (at projection
point) j u i u ui

sin

cos + =
Final velocity (at highest point) j i u uf

cos + =
(i) C hange in velocity (B etw een projection point and
highest point) j u u u u i f

sin = = A

W hen body reaches the ground after com pleting its m otion
then final velocity j u i u uf

sin

cos = (ii) C hange in velocity

(B etw een com plete projectile m otion) i u u u u
i f

sin 2 = = A

(5) Change in momentum : Sim ply by the m ultiplication of
m ass in the above expression of velocity (Article-4).
(i) C hange in m om entum (B etw een projection point and
highest point) j mu p p p
i f

sin = = A

(ii) C hange in m om entum (For the com plete projectile
m otion) j mu p p p
i f

sin 2 = = A

(6) Angul ar momentum : A ngular m om entum of
projectile at highest point of trajectory about the point of
projection is given by
mvr L =
(
(

= =
g
u
H r
2
sin
H ere
2 2

g
u
u m L
2
sin
cos
2 2

=
g
u m
2
sin cos
2 3

=






(7) Time of flight : The total tim e taken by the projectile
to go up and com e dow n to the sam e level from w hich it w as
projected is called tim e of flight.
For vertical upw ard m otion 0 = u sin gt
t = (u sin /g)
N ow as tim e taken to go up is equal to the tim e taken to
com e dow n so
Tim e of flight
g
u
t T
sin 2
2 = =
(i) Tim e of flight can also be expressed as :
g
u
T
y
. 2
=
(w here u
y
is the vertical com ponent of initial velocity).
(ii) For com plem entary angles of projection and 90
o

(a) Ratio of tim e of flight =
g u
g u
T
T
/ ) 90 sin( 2
/ sin 2
2
1

=
= tan tan
2
1
=
T
T

(b) M ultiplication of tim e of flight =
g
u
g
u
T T
cos 2 sin 2
2 1
=

g
R
T T
2
2 1
=
(iii) If t
1
is the tim e taken by projectile to rise upto point p
and t
2
is the tim e taken in falling from point p to ground level then
= = +
g
u
t t
sin 2
2 1
tim e of flight or
2
) (
sin
2 1
t t g
u
+
=




and height of the point p is given by
2
1 1
2
1
sin t g t u h =

2
1 1
2 1
2
1
2
) (
t g t
t t
g h
+
=
by solving
2
2 1
t t g
h=
(iv) If B and C are at the sam e level on trajectory and the
tim e difference betw een these
tw o points is t
1
, sim ilarly A and
D are also at the sam e level
and the tim e difference
betw een these tw o positions is
t
2
then X
Y
O
h
t
2
t
1
A
B C
D
h

O
Y
X
t
1

t
2

P
Fig :

X
O
u
Y
P = mv
r
Fig :

Fig :

Projectile m otion

g
h
t t
8
2
1
2
2
=
(8) Horizontal range : It is the horizontal distance
travelled by a body during the tim e of flight.
So by using second equation of m otion in x-direction
T u R = cos
= ) / sin 2 ( cos g u u
g
u 2 sin
2
=
g
u
R
2 sin
2
=
(i) Range of projectile can also be expressed as :
R = u cos T =
g
u
u

sin 2
cos

g
2u
sin cos 2 x y
u
g
u u
= =



g
2u
x y
u
R = (w here u
x
and u
y
are the horizontal and
vertical com ponent of initial velocity)
(ii) If angle of projection is changed from to ' = (90 )
then range rem ains unchanged.
R
g
u
g
u
g
u
R
o
= =

= =
2 sin )] 90 ( 2 sin[ ' 2 sin
'
2 2 2

So a projectile has sam e range at angles of projection and
(90 ), though tim e of flight, m axim um height and trajectories
are different.
These angles and 90
o
are called com plem entary
angles of projection and for com plem entary angles of projection,
ratio of range 1
/ )] 90 ( 2 [ sin
/ 2 sin
2
2
2
1
=

=
g u
g u
R
R
o

1
2
1
=
R
R

(iii) For angle of projection
1
= (45 ) and
2
= (45 +
), range w ill be sam e and equal to u
2
cos 2/g.

1
and
2
are also the com plem entary angles.
(iv) M axim um range : For range to be m axim um
0 =
d
dR
0
2 sin
2
=
(
(

g
u
d
d

cos 2 = 0 i.e. 2 = 90
o
= 45
o

and R
max
= (u
2
/g)
i.e., a projectile w ill have m axim um range w hen it is
projected at an angle of 45
o
to the horizontal and the m axim um
range w ill be (u
2
/g).
W hen the range is m axim um , the height H reached by the
projectile





4 4 2
45 sin
2
sin
m ax
2 2 2 2 2
R
g
u
g
u
g
u
H = = = =


i.e., if a person can throw a projectile to a m axim um
distance R
max
, The m axim um height during the flight to w hich it
w ill rise is
|
|
.
|

\
|
4
m ax
R
.
(v) Relation betw een horizontal range and m axim um height
:
g
u
R
2 sin
2
= and
g
u
H
2
sin
2 2

cot 4
2 / sin
/ 2 sin
2 2
2
= =
g u
g u
H
R
cot 4H R =
(vi) If in case of projectile m otion range R is n tim es the
m axim um height H
i.e. R = nH
g
u
n
g
u
2
sin 2 sin
2 2 2

=
] / 4 [ tan n = or ] / 4 [ tan
1
n

=
The angle of projection is given by ] / 4 [ tan
1
n

=
Note : If R = H then ) 4 ( tan
1
= or
o
76 = .
If R = 4H then ) 1 ( tan
1
= or
o
45 = .
(9) Maximum hei ght : It is the m axim um height from the
point of projection, a projectile can reach.
So, by using as u v 2
2 2
+ =
gH u 2 ) sin ( 0
2
=
g
u
H
2
sin
2 2

=

(i) M axim um height can also be expressed as
g
u
H
y
2
2
= (w here
y
u is the vertical com ponent of initial
velocity).
(ii)
g
u
H
2
2
m ax
= (w hen sin
2
= m ax = 1 i.e., = 90
o
)
i.e., for m axim um height body should be projected
vertically upw ard. So it falls back to the point of projection after
reaching the m axim um height.
(iii) For com plem entary angles of projection and 90
o

Ratio of m axim um height
=
g u
g u
H
H
o
2 / ) 90 ( sin
2 / sin
2 2
2 2
2
1

2
2
cos
sin
=
2
tan =

2
2
1
tan =
H
H

(10) Proj ectile passing through two different points
on same hei ght at ti me t
1
and t
2
: If the particle passes tw o
points situated at equal height y at
1
t t = and ,
2
t t = then
(i) Hei ght (y): ( )
2
1 1
2
1
sin gt t u y = (i)
and ( )
2
2 2
2
1
sin gt t u y = (ii)



X
O
u
Y
H orizontal range
Fig :

u
45
o
X
O
Y
H

R
max
= 4 H
Fig :

X

O
u
Y
M
a
x
.

h
e
i
g
h
t
Fig :

Projectile m otion






C om paring equation (i) w ith equation (ii)
( )
2
sin
2 1
t t g
u
+
=
Substituting this value in equation (i)
2
1 1
2 1
2
1
2
gt t
t t
g y
|
|
.
|

\
| +
=
2
2 1
t gt
y=
(ii) Time (t
1
and t
2
):
2
2
1
sin gt t u y =
0
2 sin 2
2
= +
g
y
t
g
u
t


(
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
=
2
sin
2
1 1
sin

u
gy
g
u
t

(
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
2
1
sin
2
1 1
sin

u
gy
g
u
t
and
(
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
=
2
2
sin
2
1 1
sin

u
gy
g
u
t
(11) Motion of a projectil e as observed from another
proj ectile : Suppose tw o balls A and B are projected
sim ultaneously from the origin, w ith initial velocities u
1
and u
2
at
angle
1
and
2
, respectively w ith the horizontal.






The instantaneous positions of the tw o balls are given by
B all A : x
1
= (u
1
cos
1
)t,
2
1 1 1
2
1
) sin ( gt t u y =
B all B : x
2
= (u
2
cos
2
)t,
2
2 2 2
2
1
) sin ( gt t u y =
The position of the ball A w ith respect to ball B is given by
t u u x x x ) cos cos (
2 2 1 1 2 1
= =
t u u y y y ) sin sin (
2 2 1 1 2 1
= =
N ow =
|
|
.
|

\
|

=
2 2 1 1
2 2 1 1
cos cos
sin sin


u u
u u
x
y
constant
Thus m otion of a projectile relative to another projectile is a
straight line.
(12) Energy of projectile : W hen a projectile m oves
upw ard its kinetic energy
decreases, potential energy
increases but the total
energy alw ays rem ain constant.
If a body is projected w ith initial kinetic energy K(= 1/2
mu
2
), w ith angle of projection w ith the horizontal then at the
highest point of trajectory
(i) Kineti c energy
2 2 2
cos
2
1
) cos (
2
1
mu u m = =

2
cos ' K K =
(ii) Potential energy mgH = =
g
u
mg
2
sin
2 2

2 2
sin
2
1
mu =
2
sin K =
(iii) Total energy = Kinetic energy + Potential energy

2 2 2 2
sin
2
1
cos
2
1
mu mu + =
=
2
2
1
mu = Energy at the point of projection.
This is in accordance w ith the law of conservation of
energy.
Horizontal Projectile
W hen a body is projected horizontally from a certain height
yvertically above the ground w ith initial velocity u. If friction is
considered to be absent, then there is no other horizontal force
w hich can affect the horizontal m otion. The horizontal velocity
therefore rem ains constant and so the object covers equal
distance in horizontal direction in equal intervals of tim e.
The horizontal velocity therefore rem ains constant and
so the object covers equal distance in horizontal direction in equal
intervals of tim e.
(1) Trajectory of horizontal projectil e : The horizontal
displacem ent x is governed by the
equation
x = ut
u
x
t = . (i)
The vertical displacem ent y
is governed by

2
1
= y gt
2
. (ii)
(since initial vertical velocity is zero)
B y substituting the value of t in equation (ii)
2
2
2
1
u
x g
y=
(2) Displacement of Projectile ) (r

: After tim e t, horizontal

displacem ent ut x = and vertical displacem ent
2
2
1
gt y = .
So, the position vector j gt i ut r

2
1

2
+ =

Therefore
2
2
1 |
.
|

\
|
+ =
u
gt
ut r and |
.
|

\
|
=

u
gt
2
tan
1

X

O
y
y
t = t2
u
t = t1
Y
Fig :


u
K
Y
X
K = Kcos
2
u
u cos
Fig :

X
P(x, y)
Y
O
u
y
x
Fig :

u
2

1
u
1

X
Y
O
2
B
y
1
y
2

Fig :

A
Projectile m otion

|
|
.
|

\
|
=

u
gy
2
tan
1

|
|
.
|

\
|
=
g
y
t
2
as
(3) I nstantaneous velocity : Throughout the m otion, the
horizontal com ponent of the velocity is v
x
= u.
The vertical com ponent of velocity increases w ith tim e and
is given by
v
y
= 0 + g t = g t (From v = u + g t)
So, j v i v v
y x

+ =

= j t g i u

+
i.e. ( )
2 2
gt u v + =
2
1 |
.
|

\
|
+ =
u
gt
u
Again j gy i u v

+ =

i.e. gy u v 2
2
+ =







Direction of instantaneous veloci ty :
x
y
v
v
= tan

|
|
.
|

\
|
=

x
y
v
v
1
tan
|
|
.
|

\
|
=

u
gy 2
tan
1
or |
.
|

\
|
=

u
gt
1
tan
W here is the angle of instantaneous velocity from the
horizontal.
(4) Time of flight : If a body is projected horizontally from
a height h w ith velocity u and tim e taken by the body to reach the
ground is T, then

2
2
1
0 gT h + = (for vertical m otion) or
g
h
T
2
=
(5) Horizontal range : Let R is the horizontal distance
travelled by the body

2
0
2
1
T uT R + = (for horizontal m otion)

g
h
u R
2
=
(6) If projectiles A and B are projected horizontally w ith
different initial velocity from sam e height and third particle C is
dropped from sam e point then
(i) A ll three particles w ill take equal tim e to reach the ground.
(ii) Their net velocity w ould be different but all three
particle possess sam e vertical com ponent of velocity.
(iii) The trajectory of projectiles A and B w ill be straight line
w.r.t. particle C.





(7) If various particles throw n w ith sam e initial velocity but
in different direction then







(i) They strike the ground w ith sam e speed at different
tim es irrespective of their initial direction of velocities.
(ii) Tim e w ould be least for particle E w hich w as throw n
vertically dow nw ard.
(iii) Tim e w ould be m axim um for particle A w hich w as
throw n vertically upw ard.
X
v
v
x
v
y

Y

O u
P (x,y)
x
y


r

Fig :

h
C A
B
Fig :
h
A
A
A
u
E
E
u
B C D
u
u
u
Fig :