1. 1
Projectile Motion
(2-Dimensional Motion)

2. 2
What is a Projectile…
An object that moves through
the air only under the influence
of gravity after an initial thrust
Give examples…

3. 3
Other vocab…
TRAJECTORY – path
of a projectile
The shape of the trajectory is a
PARABOLA
The horizontal distance that the
projectile travels is the RANGE.

4. 4
The vertical and horizontal
components of a projectile are
independent of each other.
What does that mean?

5. 5
If 1 ball were dropped and
another ball launched
forward from the same
height, they would hit the
ground at the same time.

6. 6
Velocity vectors for
projectiles…
Here you see both horizontal
and vertical components of
the velocity vectors

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Horizontally launched cannonball

8. 8
Non-horizontally launched cannonball

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Vertical Component
Distance
d = Vit + ½ gt2
*Vi is 0, so it cancels!
d = ½ gt2
Velocity
Vf = Vi + gt *Vi is 0, so it cancels!
V = gt

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Horizontal Component
Distance
d = Vt
Velocity
V = d/t

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Working Problems…
When working projectile
problems, draw a picture, label
all information, and list all
GIVENS as either VERTICAL or
HORIZONTAL. (T chart)
Only time “plays both sides.”

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Example) A stone is thrown
horizontally at 15 m/s from the top
of a cliff 44 m high.
a) How long does it take
to fall?
d = ½ gt2
t = 2.99 s
44m
15m/s

13. 13
Example) A stone is thrown
horizontally at 15 m/s from the top
of a cliff 44 m high.
b) How far from the base of the
cliff does it land?
d = Vt
d = 45 m
d

14. 14
Example) A stone is thrown
horizontally at 15 m/s from the top
of a cliff 44 m high.
c) What is its vertical speed
when it hits the ground?
V = gt
V = 29.4 m/s

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