Projectile Motion

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Projectile Noun

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[pro-jek-tile]

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Projectile

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An object thrown or shot through the air, subject only to the force of gravity after its initial launch.

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Example: An object launched forward, like a cannonball, follows a curved path because its constant forward motion combines with the constant downward pull of gravity.

Front

Trajectory Noun

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[truh-jek-tuh-ree]

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Trajectory

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The curved path that a projectile follows through space as it moves under the influence of gravity.

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Example: This diagram shows a cannonball's trajectory, which is the curved path it follows. Gravity continuously pulls the cannonball downward from the straight path it would otherwise take.

Front

Gravity Noun

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[grav-i-tee]

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Gravity

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The force that attracts an object toward the center of the Earth, causing a constant downward acceleration.

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Example: An object's sideways motion combined with the constant pull of gravity towards a central body results in a curved path, known as an orbit.

Front

Velocity Noun

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[vuh-los-i-tee]

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Velocity

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A vector quantity representing the rate of change of an object's position, possessing both magnitude and direction.

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Example: This image shows that velocity is the speed in a specific direction from a start point to an end point, not the total path taken.

Front

Acceleration Noun

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[ak-sel-uh-rey-shun]

Back

Acceleration

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The rate at which an object's velocity changes over time, which can involve a change in speed or direction.

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Example: This image shows the three ways an object accelerates: by speeding up, slowing down, or changing its direction of motion.

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Horizontal Velocity Noun

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[hor-i-zon-tl vuh-los-i-tee]

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Horizontal Velocity

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The component of a projectile's velocity parallel to the ground, which remains constant in the absence of air resistance.

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Example: This diagram shows a ball's projectile motion. The even horizontal spacing between each position illustrates that the horizontal velocity (Vx) remains constant.

Front

Vertical Velocity Noun

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[vur-ti-kuhl vuh-los-i-tee]

Back

Vertical Velocity

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The component of a projectile's velocity perpendicular to the ground, which changes continuously due to the force of gravity.

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Example: An object thrown upwards from a building has an initial vertical velocity, which determines how high it travels before gravity pulls it back down.

Front

Maximum Height Noun

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[mak-si-muhm hyt]

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Maximum Height

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The highest point in a projectile's trajectory, which is reached when the object's vertical velocity becomes momentarily zero.

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Example: This diagram shows that when an object is thrown upwards, it reaches its maximum height at the exact moment its upward velocity becomes zero.

Front

Range Noun

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[reynj]

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Range

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The total horizontal distance a projectile travels from its launch point to where it returns to its initial height.

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Example: This diagram shows a kicked soccer ball's path. The horizontal distance it travels from the starting point to the end point, labeled 'x', is its range.

Front

Time of Flight Noun

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[tahym ov flahyt]

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Time of Flight

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The total duration a projectile remains in the air from the moment of launch until it lands; also called hang time.

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Example: This diagram shows the total time an object is in the air after being launched. The time of flight is the duration from the start (t=0) to landing (T=2t).