3.2.5 Projectile Motion

• The trajectory of an object undergoing projectile motion consists of a vertical component and a horizontal component
  • These need to be evaluated separately

• Some key terms to know, and how to calculate them, are:
  • Time of flight: how long the projectile is in the air
  • Maximum height attained: the height at which the projectile is momentarily at rest
  • Range: the horizontal distance travelled by the projectile

How to find the time of flight, maximum height and range

• There are two main considerations for solving problems involving two-dimensional motion of a projectile
  • Constant velocity in the horizontal direction
  • Constant acceleration in a perpendicular direction

• The only force acting on the projectile, after it has been released, is gravity

• There are three possible scenarios for projectile motion:
  • Vertical projection
  • Horizontal projection
  • Projection at an angle