CHAPTER 3

Kinematic (Motion)
in Two Dimensions
 Definition: Projectile Motion
• Projectile motion refers to the 2-D motion of
an object that is given an initial velocity and
projected into the air at an angle.

• The only force acting upon the object is

gravity.
What is Projectile Motion?
 Projectile Motion
• Two-dimensional motion of an object
– Vertical
– Horizontal
 Introduction
Revision – Vector and Its Component
In 2-D;
Examples of Projectile Motion
 Factors Affecting Projectile Motion

• What two factors would affect projectile

motion?
– Angle
– Initial velocity

Initial Velocity

Angle
 Types of Projectile Motion

• Horizontal
– Motion of a ball rolling freely along a
level surface
– Horizontal velocity is ALWAYS
constant
• Vertical
– Motion of a freely falling object
– Force due to gravity
– Vertical component of velocity
changes with time
• Parabolic
– Path traced by an object accelerating
only in the vertical direction while
moving at constant horizontal velocity
• Consider a general case :
An object projected at an arbitrary angle θ° relative to the horizontal.

V cos Φ
Sy
v
V sin Φ

Sx

• the path of motion : parabolic arc

• analyzed by considering horizontal & vertical components

separately.
- Resolved into 2 separate components :

(i) Horizontal velocity component, ux (x-component)

• If air resistance is negligible, ux is a constant – no force

acting on the object in the horizontal direction
• ux = u cos 
• ax = 0
• vx = ux
• sx = u x t

(ii) Vertical velocity component, uy (y-component)

• uy = u sin 
• ay = - g
• vy = uy – gt
• sy = uy t – ½ g t2
• vy2 = uy2 – 2 gsy
where :
u = initial velocity
u x = horizontal / x-component of the initial velocity
u y = vertical / y-component of the initial velocity
θ° = angle of projection
vx = horizontal final velocity
vy = vertical final velocity
sx = horizontal displacement at various time
sy = vertical displacement at various time
• Maximum Height , H
-- the maximum vertical displacement / height reached.
-- at the top of the arc, vy = 0
when vy = 0, sy = H,
using : vy2 = u y2 – 2g sy
0 = ( u sin θ ) 2 – 2g H
2g H = ( u sin θ ) 2

u 2 sin 2 
H
2g
• Time to reach the maximum height, tH

If tH = Time taken by the object to reach the max

height, H
using :
tH  u sin 
vy = u y – g t
0 = ( u sin θ ) – g tH g
g tH = u sin θ
• Range , R
-- the maximum horizontal distance traveled.
-- vertical displacement, sy = 0
horizontal displacement, sx = R at t = tR

Using :
Note :
sx = uxt
The maximum range is & it occurs
R = u cos θ ( tR )
when 2  90
2u sin    45 
R  u cos  ( )
g
u 2 (2 sin  cos )
R
g
u 2 sin 2
R
g
Example

A cannonball is fired with an initial velocity of 30.0 m s-1

at an angle of 35° to the horizontal. Determine
(a) the horizontal and vertical component of the initial
velocity
(b) the maximum height reached by the ball ?
(c) its range ?
Solution; Given : u = 30.0 ms-1 ; θ = 35° ; ay = g = 9.81 ms-2

u= 30m/s

θ=35°

(a) From u = 30 ms-1 ; compute ux & uy :

ux = u cos 35 = 30(0.819) = 24.6 m s-1
uy = u sin 35 = 30(0.574) = 17.2 m s-1
(b) At maximum height, H : vy = 0
From kinematics equation :
vy2 = uy2 – 2gSy
(0) = ( 17.2 )2 – 2 ( 9.81 )(H)
295.84
H  15.1 m
19.62
@ use the equation we have derived :

u 2 sin 2  (30) 2 (sin 35) 2

H H
2g 2(9.81)

H  15 .1 m
(b) Range = ?

u 2 sin 2
R
g

= (30)2 (sin 2 (35)) / 9.81

= (30)2 (sin 2 (35)) / 9.81

= 86.25 m
 or

(b) Range = ?

R = Sxmax = ux t ; to find R, must know value of t .

The time in going up = time in coming down, so the
total flight time, t = 2 tu

At max height , vy = 0
From : vy = uy – gt
(0) = (30) – 9.81( tu )

17.2
tu   1.753 s
9.81
Total flight time, t = 2 tu = 2(1.753) = 3.506 s

Range, R = Sx(max) = ux ( t )
= 24.6 (3.506)
= 86.25 m
Example
u
Solution;

ux uy
Solution;

vy = uy – gt

ux
Example

A ball is projected from a height of 25.0 m above the

ground and is thrown with an initial horizontal velocity of
8.25 m s-1.
(a) How long is the ball in flight before striking the
ground ?
(b) How far from the building does the ball strike the
ground ?
(c) What is the velocity of the ball just before it strikes
the ground ?
Solution;

(a) At maximum height, H : Uy = 0

Sy = uyt – ½ gt2
- 25 = 0 – ½ (9.81)t2
t = 2.26 s

(b) The ball travels in the x-direction for the same

amount of time it travels in y-direction.

Sx  ux(t )
 (8.25)(2.26)
 18.6 m
(c) In horizontal plane, -- uniform velocity motion.
x- component of the velocity is always constant.
vx = ux = 8.25 m s-1

In vertical plane, g acts on the object, so velocity

varied with time.
from :
vy = uy – g t
= (0) – 9.81( 2.26 )
= - 22.17 m s-1

Velocity, v = vx 2  vy 2
v  (8.25) 2  (22.17 ) 2
v  23.66 ms 1
Example

A bullet is to be launched at an angle of 30° so

that it falls beyond the pond of length 20 m as
shown in the figure. Determine the range of
the initial velocity values so that the projectile
falls between points M and N.
 u 2 sin 2
• Formula of range R
g
• We want to have the range greater than OM and smaller than
ON.
Rg
u
• OM = 10 + 20 = 30 m sin 2
• ON = 10 + 20 + 10 = 40 m

30 m < u < 40 m

[30 (9.81)]/sin 2 (30) < u < [40 (9.81)]/sin 2 (30)

18.43 m < u < 21.29 m