Projectile Motion

1.4

What do the following situations have in common?

A monkey jumps from the branch of one tree to the branch of an adjacent tree.
A snowboarder glides at top speed off the end of a ramp (Figure 1).
A relief package drops from a low-flying airplane.

In each situation, the body or object moves through the air without a propulsion system
along a two-dimensional curved trajectory (Figure 2(a)). Such an object is called a
projectile; the motion of a projectile is called projectile motion.
(b)

Figure 1
How would you describe the motion
of the snowboarder after leaving the
ramp?

1
v1

projectile an object that moves

through the air, along a trajectory,
without a propulsion system

2
v= v2 + (v1)

v2

v1
Figure 2
(a) A typical trajectory followed by a projectile.
(b) The change in velocity between position 1 and position 2 is v  v2  v1, which is shown
as v  v2  (v1).
If v is divided by the time t required for the motion from position 1 to position 2, the result is
the average acceleration for that time interval.

It is evident that a projectile is accelerating because the direction of its instantaneous

velocity is continually changing. However, in what direction is that acceleration occurv
ring? Since aav   , aav is in the direction of v. Figure 2(b) shows that the vector
t
subtraction v  v2  v1 yields a vector directed downward, which indicates that the direction of acceleration is also downward.
In the Try This Activity at the beginning of Chapter 1, you considered two projectiles, balls A and B, which began moving simultaneously. Ball A fell from rest, while ball
B was launched horizontally with an initial velocity. Although, as we show in Figure 3,
B had a longer path than A, the two balls landed simultaneously. The initial horizontal
motion of a projectile like ball B does not affect its vertical acceleration.
Other experiments show the same thing. Figure 4 is a stroboscopic photograph of
two balls released simultaneously. The ball on the right was projected horizontally. The
interval between strobe flashes was constant. A grid has been superimposed on the photo
to facilitate measurement and analysis. In successive equal time intervals, the vertical
components of the displacement increase by the same amount for each ball. Note that
the projected ball travels a constant horizontal displacement in each time interval. The
independent horizontal and vertical motions combine to produce the trajectory.

NEL

DID YOU

KNOW

Dangerous Projectiles
You may have seen soldiers in the
television news firing their rifles
into the air to celebrate some victory. The bullets travel as highspeed projectiles and, despite air
resistance, return to Earth at high
enough speeds to be dangerous.
Reports indicate that from time to
time people are injured by the
returning bullets.

A
Vertical Position

(a)

starting position
B

Horizontal Position
Figure 3
Ball B is projected horizontally at the
same instant that ball A is dropped.
Although the path of ball B is longer
than the path of ball A, the balls
land at the same instant.
Kinematics 41

projectile motion motion with a

constant horizontal velocity and a
constant vertical acceleration due to
gravity
horizontal range (x) the horizontal displacement of a projectile

Figure 4
These two balls reached the lowest position at the same instant
even though one was projected horizontally. Both balls had an
initial vertical velocity of zero, and both experienced free fall.

If you look carefully at the grid superimposed on the photograph in Figure 4, you
can make the following important conclusions about projectile motion:

INVESTIGATION 1.4.1
Investigating Projectile Motion
(p. 58)
There is more than one way to prove
that the horizontal and vertical components of a projectiles motion are
independent of each other. Describe
two or three ways that you could
use to analyze the motion of the two
balls in Figure 4 to show that the
horizontal motion is independent of
the vertical motion. (Hint: One way
can involve the vector subtraction of
instantaneous velocities.) Then perform Investigation 1.4.1 to check
your answers.

(a)

(b)
vi

viy

vfx = vix
vf

vfy

vix
Figure 5
(a) At time t  0, the initial velocity
of the projectile, vi , has a horizontal component, vix , and a
vertical component, viy .
(b) After t has elapsed, the
projectiles velocity, vf , has the
same horizontal component
(neglecting air resistance) and a
different vertical component, vfy .
42

Chapter 1

The horizontal component of a projectiles velocity is constant. (The horizontal

component of acceleration, in other words, is zero.)

The projectile experiences constant downward acceleration due to gravity.

The horizontal and vertical motions of a projectile are independent of each
other, except they have a common time.

These conclusions are based on the assumption that air resistance can be neglected, an
assumption we made when we analyzed the acceleration due to gravity in Section 1.3.
If you were performing an experiment to determine whether the concepts about projectile motion apply to an object on an inclined plane (for example, a puck moving on
an air table set up at an angle to the horizontal), what observations would you expect to
make? How would you analyze the motion of a projectile on an inclined plane to verify
that the horizontal velocity is constant and the vertical acceleration is constant? You will
explore these questions in Investigation 1.4.1 in the Lab Activities section at the end of
this chapter.

Analyzing the Motion of Objects

Projected Horizontally
Projectile motion is motion with a constant horizontal velocity combined with a constant vertical acceleration caused by gravity. Since the horizontal and vertical motions
are independent of each other, we can apply independent sets of equations to analyze
projectile motion. The constant velocity equations from Section 1.1 apply to the horizontal motion, while the constant acceleration equations from Sections 1.2 and 1.3 (with
g  9.8 m/s2) apply to the vertical motion.
Figure 5 shows the initial and final velocity vectors for a projectile, with their horizontal
and vertical components. Table 1 summarizes the kinematics equations for both components. None of the variables has an arrow over it since these variables represent components of vectors, not vectors themselves. For example, vix represents the x-component
(which is not a vector) of the initial velocity and vy represents the y-component (also not
a vector) of the velocity after some time interval t. The horizontal displacement, x,
is called the horizontal range of the projectile.
NEL

Section 1.4

Table 1 Kinematics Equations for Projectile Motion

Horizontal (x)
Motion

The constant velocity

(zero acceleration) equation
is written for the
x-component only.

Vertical ( y)
Motion

The five constant acceleration

equations involving the
acceleration due to gravity
are written for the
y-component only. The
constant acceleration
has a magnitude of
  g  9.8 m/s2.
g

x
vix  
t
vfy  viy
ay   or vfy  viy  ay t
t
1
y  viy t   ay (t ) 2
2
1
y  vav,y t or y   (vfy  viy )t
2
vfy2  viy2  2ay y
1
y  vfy t   ay (t )2
2

SAMPLE problem 1
A ball is thrown off a balcony and has an initial velocity of 18 m/s horizontally.

(a)
vix

(a) Determine the position of the ball at t  1.0 s, 2.0 s, 3.0 s, and 4.0 s.
(b) Show these positions on a scale diagram.

+x

ay = g
= 9.8 m/s2

(c) What is the mathematical name of the resulting curve?

+y

Solution
(a) Let the x direction be to the right and the y direction be downward (which is convenient since there is no upward motion) (see Figure 6(a)).

(b)
0

40

20

60

80
x (m)

Horizontally (constant vix ):

vix  18 m/s

20

t  1.0 s
x  ?

y (m) 40

x  vix t

60

 (18 m/s)(1.0 s)
x  18 m

80

Table 2 gives the x values for t  1.0 s, 2.0 s, 3.0 s, and 4.0 s.
Vertically (constant ay ):
viy  0

t  1.0 s

ay  g  9.8 m/s2

y  ?

Figure 6
For Sample Problem 1
(a) Initial conditions
(b) Scale diagram of the motion

1
y  viy t  ay (t)2
2
1
 ay (t)2
2
(9.8 m/s2 )(1.0 s)2
 
2
y  4.9 m

Table 2 gives the y values for t  1.0 s, 2.0 s, 3.0 s, and 4.0 s.
(b) Figure 6(b) shows a scale diagram of the balls position at the required times.
The positions are joined with a smooth curve.
(c) The curved path shown in Figure 6(b) is a parabola.

NEL

Table 2 Calculated Positions

at Select Times
t (s)
0.0

x (m)
0.0

y (m)
0.0

1.0

18

4.9

2.0

36

20

3.0

54

44

4.0

72

78

Kinematics 43

SAMPLE problem 2
A child travels down a water slide, leaving it with a velocity of 4.2 m/s horizontally, as in
Figure 7(a). The child then experiences projectile motion, landing in a swimming pool
3.2 m below the slide.

(a)

(a) For how long is the child airborne?

(b) Determine the childs horizontal displacement while in the air.
vi

(c) Determine the childs velocity upon entering the water.

3.2 m

Solution

As shown in Figure 7(b), x is to the right and y is downward. The initial position is the
position where the child leaves the slide.
(a) Horizontally (constant vix ):
vix  4.2 m/s

(b)

x  ?

vix

+x
+y

y = 3.2 m

ay = 9.8 m/s 2

t  ?

Vertically (constant ay ):
viy  0

y  3.2 m

ay  +g  9.8 m/s2

vfy  ?

t  ?

Figure 7
For Sample Problem 2
(a) The situation
(b) The initial conditions

The horizontal motion has two unknowns and only one equation x  vix t. We can
analyze the vertical motion to determine t :
1
y  viy t  ay (t)2
2
1
y  ay (t)2
2
2y
(t)2  
ay
2y

a
2(3.2 m)
  


9.8 m/s

t  

t   0.81 s

Since we are analyzing a trajectory that starts at t  0, only the positive root applies.
The child is in the air for 0.81 s.
(b) We can substitute t  0.81 s into the equation for horizontal motion.
x  vix t
 (4.2 m/s)(0.81 s)
x  3.4 m

The child reaches the water 3.4 m horizontally from the end of the slide. In other
words, the childs horizontal displacement is 3.4 m.
(c) To find the childs final velocity, a vector quantity, we must first determine its horizontal and vertical components. The x-component is constant at 4.2 m/s. We find the
y-component as follows:
vfy  viy  ay t
 0 m/s  (9.8 m/s2)(0.81 s)
vfy  7.9 m/s

44

Chapter 1

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Section 1.4

vfx = 4.2 m/s

We now apply the law of Pythagoras and trigonometry to determine the final velocity
as shown in Figure 8.

+x


+y

vf  
vfx2  
vfy2
 
(4.2 m
/s)2 
(7.9 m
/s)2
vf  8.9 m/s
vfy
v  tan1 
vfx
7.9 m/s
 tan1 
4.2 m/s
v  62

The final velocity is 8.9 m/s at an angle of 62 below the horizontal.

vf = 8.9 m/s

[62 below the
horizontal]

vfy = 7.9 m/s

Figure 8
The solution for part (c) of Sample
Problem 2

SAMPLE problem 3
A helicopter, travelling horizontally, is 82 m above the ground. The pilot prepares to
release a relief package intended to land on the ground 96 m horizontally ahead. Air
resistance is negligible. The pilot does not throw the package, but lets it drop. What is the
initial velocity of the package relative to the ground?

+x

vi
+y

Solution
Figure 9 shows the situation, with the initial position chosen as the point of release,
x chosen to the right, and y chosen downward. Since the pilot does not throw the
package, the initial horizontal velocity of the package is the same as the horizontal
velocity of the helicopter.

ay = g = 9.8 m/s2
y = 82 m

Horizontally (constant vix ):

x  96 m

x = 96 m

t  ?
vix  ?

Figure 9
The situation for Sample Problem 3

Vertically (constant ay ):
viy  0 m/s

y  82 m

ay  +g  9.8 m/s2

t  ?

As in Sample Problem 2, we can determine t from the equations for vertical motion.
The appropriate equation is
1
y  viy t  ay (t)2
2
1
y  ay (t)2
2
2y
(t )2  
ay
t  
 

2y

a
y

2(82 m)


9.8 m/s
2

t  4.1 s

NEL

Kinematics 45

Since we only consider events after the release of the package at t  0, only the positive
root applies.
x
vix  
t
96 m
 
4.1 s
vix  23 m/s

The initial velocity of the package is 23 m/s [horizontally].

Practice
Understanding Concepts
Answers
3. (a) 0.395 s
(b) 76.3 cm
(c) 4.33 m/s [63.5 below
the horizontal]
4. (a) At 3.0 s, x  24 m,
y  44 m, and
v  3.0
101 m/s
[75 below the
horizontal].
(d) 9.8 m/s2 [down]
5. 45 m/s

1. Explain why an airplane moving through the air is not an example of projectile
motion.
2. A stone is thrown horizontally under negligible air resistance. What are its vertical acceleration and its horizontal acceleration?
3. A marble rolls off a table with a velocity of 1.93 m/s [horizontally]. The tabletop is
76.5 cm above the floor. If air resistance is negligible, determine
(a) how long the marble is airborne
(b) the horizontal range
(c) the velocity at impact
4. A stone is thrown horizontally with an initial speed of 8.0 m/s from a cliff.
Air resistance is negligible.
(a) Determine the horizontal and vertical components of displacement and
instantaneous velocity at t  0.0 s, 1.0 s, 2.0 s, and 3.0 s.
(b) Draw a scale diagram showing the path of the stone.
(c) Draw the instantaneous velocity vector at each point on your diagram.
(d) Determine the average acceleration between 1.0 s and 2.0 s, and between
2.0 s and 3.0 s. What do you conclude?
5. A baseball pitcher throws a ball horizontally under negligible air resistance.
The ball falls 83 cm in travelling 18.4 m to the home plate. Determine the balls
initial horizontal speed.
Applying Inquiry Skills
6. Figure 10 shows a trajectory apparatus. A vertical target plate allows the horizontal position to be adjusted from one side of the graph paper to the other.
(a) Describe how this apparatus is used to analyze projectile motion.
(b) What would you expect to see plotted on graph paper? Draw a diagram.
If you have access to a trajectory apparatus, use it to check your
prediction.
Making Connections

Figure 10
When the steel ball is launched
from the ramp and collides with the
target plate, the point of contact is
recorded on the target paper.

7. When characters in cartoons run off the edge of a cliff, they hang suspended in
the air for a short time before plummeting. If cartoons obeyed the laws of
physics, what would they show instead?

Analyzing More Complex Projectile Motion

In the projectile problems we have solved so far, the initial velocity was horizontal. The
same kinematics equations can be used to analyze problems where the initial velocity is
at some angle to the horizontal. Since viy 0, you must take care with your choice of positive and negative directions for the vertical motion. For example, a fly ball in baseball
46

Chapter 1

NEL

Section 1.4

(Figure 11) has an initial velocity with an upward vertical component. If the y direction is chosen to be upward, then viy is positive, and the vertical acceleration ay is negative because the gravitational acceleration is downward. Conversely, if the y direction
is chosen to be downward, then viy is negative and ay is positive.
(a)

(b)

+y

+x
+x

+y

y > 0

vi

y < 0

vi

viy > 0
vix

viy < 0

Figure 11
(a) The y direction is upward.
(b) The y direction is downward.

vix
ay > 0

ay < 0

SAMPLE problem 4
A golfer strikes a golf ball on level ground. The ball leaves the ground with an initial
velocity of 42 m/s [32 above the horizontal]. The initial conditions are shown in Figure 12.
If air resistance is negligible, determine the balls

+y
+x

(a) horizontal range (assuming that it lands at the same level from which it started)
(b) maximum height
(c) horizontal displacement when it is 15 m above the ground

vi= 42 m/s

Solution
(a) We begin by finding the horizontal and vertical components of the initial velocity.
vix  vicos v

viy  visin v

 (42 m/s)(cos 32)

vix  36 m/s

 (42 m/s)(sin 32)

viy  22 m/s

Horizontally (constant vix ):

vix  36 m/s
x  ?

viy =visin 
vix =vicos 

ay = g = 9.8 m/s2
Figure 12
Initial conditions for Sample Problem
4. The golf tee is chosen as the initial position, and the y direction is
chosen as upward.

t  ?

Vertically (constant ay ):
ay  g  9.8 m/s2

y  0

viy  22 m/s

t  ?

vfy  22 m/s

Since the horizontal motion has two unknowns and only one equation, we can use
the vertical motion to solve for t :
1
y  viy t  ay (t)2
2
0  22 m/s t  4.9 m/s2 (t)2
0  t (22 m/s  4.9 m/s2 t)

NEL

Kinematics 47

Therefore, the ball was hit at t  0 and the ball lands at 22 m/s 4.9 m/s2 t  0.
Solving for t, we find that t  4.5 s, which we can use to find the horizontal range.
x  vix t
 (36 m/s)(4.5 s)
x  1.6
102 m

The horizontal range is 1.6

102 m.

LEARNING

TIP

Applying Symmetry
The final vertical component of the
velocity (22 m/s) has the same
magnitude as the initial vertical
component, since air resistance is
negligible and the ground is level.
Recall that the same symmetry
occurs for an object thrown
directly upward.

(b) To determine the maximum height, we start by noting that at the highest position,
vfy  0 m/s. ( This also happens when an object thrown directly upward reaches the
top of its flight.)
vfy2  viy2  2ay y
0  viy2  2ay y
viy2
y  
2ay
(22 m/s)2
 
2(9.8 m/s2)
y  25 m

The maximum height is 25 m.

(c) To find the horizontal displacement when y  15 m, we must find the time interval
t between the start of the motion and when y  15 m. We can apply the quadratic
formula:
1
y  viy t   ay (t)2
2
15 m  22 m/s t  4.9 m/s2 (t)2
4.9 m/s2 (t)2  22 m/s t  15 m  0

Using the quadratic formula,

2  4
b  b
ac
t  
2a

where a  4.9 m/s2, b  22 m/s, and c  15 m

2)(15
(22 m/s)  
(22 m
/s)2 
4(4.9 m/s


m)
 
2
2(4.9 m/s )

t  3.7 s or 0.84 s

Thus, the ball is 15 m above the ground twice: when rising and when descending.
We can determine the corresponding horizontal positions:
xup  vix t
 (36 m/s)(0.84 s)
xup  3.0
101 m

xdown  vix t
 (36 m/s)(3.7 s)
xdown  1.3
102 m

The horizontal position of the ball is either 3.0

101 m or 1.3
102 m when it is 15 m
above ground.

48

Chapter 1

NEL

Section 1.4

As you learned in the solution to Sample Problem 4, the range of a projectile can be
found by applying the kinematics equations step by step. We can also derive a general equation for the horizontal range x of a projectile, given the initial velocity and the angle
of launch. What, for example, happens when a projectile lands at the same level from which
it began (y  0), as shown in Figure 13? For the horizontal range, the motion is found
using the equation x  vix t, where the only known variable is vix . To find the other
variable, t, we use the vertical motion:

+y
+x

vi

1
y  viy t  ay (t) 2
2

viy


vix

where y  0 because we are considering the situation where the final level is the same
as the initial level.

Figure 13
Initial conditions for deriving the
horizontal range of a projectile in
terms of launch angle and initial
velocity

viy  vi sin v
ay  g
1
0  vi sin vt  g(t)2
2
1
0  t vi sin v  g(t)
2

Therefore, either t  0 (on takeoff) or

1
vi sin v  gt  0 (on landing).
2
Solving the latter equation for t gives
2vi sin v
t  
g

Now we return to the horizontal motion:

x  vix t

TRY THIS activity

Comparing Horizontal Range

As a class or in a large group, set up a table using these titles:
Launch Angle, Time of Flight, Maximum Height, and Horizontal
Range. Complete the table for a projectile that has an initial
velocity of magnitude 25.00 m/s and lands at the same level
from which it was launched. Perform the calculations using four
significant digits, using every third degree from 3 to 87 (i.e., 3,
6, 9, 81, 84, 87). Write conclusions about maximizing
height and horizontal range.

 (vi cos v)t

2vi sin v
 vi cos v  

g

vi2
x  g 2sin v cos v

Since 2sin v cos v  sin 2v (as shown in the trigonometric identities in Appendix A), the
horizontal range is
vi2
x  g sin 2v

where vi is the magnitude of the initial velocity of a projectile launched at an angle v to

the horizontal. Note that this equation applies only if y  0.
All of the previous discussion and examples of projectile motion have assumed that
air resistance is negligible. This is close to the true situation in cases involving relatively
dense objects moving at low speeds, such as a shot used in shot put competition. However,
for many situations, air resistance cannot be ignored. When air resistance is considered,
the analysis of projectile motion becomes more complex and is beyond the intention
of this text. The concept of hang time in certain sports, especially football, is important and is explored in Lab Exercise 1.4.1 in the Lab Activities Section at the end of this
chapter.

NEL

LAB EXERCISE 1.4.1

Hang Time in Football (p. 58)
Hang time in sports is the time
interval between the launch of a ball
and the landing or catching of the
ball. In football, when a punt is
needed, the punter tries to maximize
the hang time of the ball to give his
teammates time to race downfield to
tackle the punt receiver. Of course,
at the same time the punter tries to
maximize the horizontal range to
give his team better field position.
Write your hypothesis and predictions to the following questions, and
then explore these concepts further
by conducting the lab exercise.
(a) What factors affect the hang time
of a punted football? How do
they affect hang time?
(b) What launch angle of a punt
maximizes the hang time of a
football?
Kinematics 49

Practice
Understanding Concepts
Answers

8. A field hockey ball is struck and undergoes projectile motion. Air resistance is negligible.
(a) What is the vertical component of velocity at the top of the flight?
(b) What is the acceleration at the top of the flight?
(c) How does the rise time compare to the fall time if the ball lands at the same level
from which it was struck?

9. (a) 1.2
103 m
(b) 32 s
(c) 4.9
103 m
(d) 2.2
102 m/s [45 below
the horizontal]

9. A cannon is set at an angle of 45 above the horizontal. A cannonball leaves the

muzzle with a speed of 2.2
102 m/s. Air resistance is negligible. Determine the
cannonballs
(a) maximum height
(b) time of flight
(c) horizontal range (to the same vertical
vi
level)
42
(d) velocity at impact

10. (a) 2.4 s

(b) 22 m
(c) 18 m/s [60 below the
horizontal]

10. A medieval prince trapped in a castle wraps

a message around a rock and throws it from
the top of the castle wall with an initial
velocity of 12 m/s [42 above the horizontal].
The rock lands just on the far side of the
castles moat, at a level 9.5 m below the
initial level (Figure 14). Determine the rocks
(a) time of flight
(b) width of the moat
(c) velocity at impact

SUMMARY

9.5 m

moat

Figure 14
The situation for question 10

Projectile Motion

A projectile is an object moving through the air in a curved trajectory with no

propulsion system.

Projectile motion is motion with a constant horizontal velocity combined with a

constant vertical acceleration.

The horizontal and vertical motions of a projectile are independent of each other
except they have a common time.

Projectile motion problems can be solved by applying the constant velocity equation for the horizontal component of the motion and the constant acceleration
equations for the vertical component of the motion.

Section 1.4 Questions

Understanding Concepts
1. What is the vertical acceleration of a projectile on its way

up, at the top of its trajectory, and on its way down?

2. (a) For a projectile with the launch point lower than the
landing point, in what part of the flight is the magnitude of the velocity at a maximum? a minimum?
(b) In what part of the flight is the magnitude of the
velocity at a maximum, and in what part is it at a
minimum, for a projectile with the launch point higher
than the landing point?

50

Chapter 1

3. A projectile launched horizontally moves 16 m in the

horizontal plane while falling 1.5 m in the vertical plane.
Determine the projectiles initial velocity.
4. A tennis player serves a ball horizontally, giving it a speed
of 24 m/s from a height of 2.5 m. The player is 12 m from
the net. The top of the net is 0.90 m above the court surface. The ball clears the net and lands on the other side.
Air resistance is negligible.

NEL

Section 1.4

(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)

For how long is the ball airborne?

What is the horizontal displacement?
What is the velocity at impact?
By what distance does the ball clear the net?

5. A child throws a ball onto the roof of a house, then catches

it with a baseball glove 1.0 m above the ground, as in
Figure 15. The ball leaves the roof with a speed of 3.2 m/s.
(a) For how long is the ball airborne after leaving the roof?
(b) What is the horizontal distance from the glove to the
edge of the roof?
(c) What is the velocity of the ball just before it lands in
the glove?

Figure 16
Projectile motion in the garden
10. Describe how you would build and test a device made of
simple, inexpensive materials to demonstrate that two coins
launched simultaneously from the same level, one
launched horizontally and the other dropped vertically, land
at the same instant.

33

Making Connections
11. In real-life situations, projectile motion is often more complex than what has been presented in this section. For
example, to determine the horizontal range of a shot in shot
put competitions, the following equation is used:

6.2 m

x  x1  x2  x3

2vi2 sin v cos v

Figure 15
6. For a projectile that lands at the same level from which it
starts, state another launch angle above the horizontal that
would result in the same range as a projectile launched at
an angle of 36, 16, and 45.6. Air resistance is negligible.
7. During World War I, the German army bombarded Paris
with a huge gun referred to, by the Allied Forces, as Big
Bertha. Assume that Big Bertha fired shells with an initial
velocity of 1.1
103 m/s [45 above the horizontal].
(a) How long was each shell airborne, if the launch point
was at the same level as the landing point?
(b) Determine the maximum horizontal range of each shell.
(c) Determine the maximum height of each shell.
 = 1.6 m/s2, strikes a
8. An astronaut on the Moon, where g
golf ball giving the ball a velocity of 32 m/s [35 above the
Moons horizontal]. The ball lands in a crater floor that is
15 m below the level where it was struck. Determine
(a) the maximum height of the ball
(b) the time of flight of the ball
(c) the horizontal range of the ball

vi sin v


v 2 sin2
v  2
g y

i
x  0.30 m    

where 0.30 m is the average distance the athletes hand

goes beyond the starting line, vi is the magnitude of the initial velocity, v is the angle of launch above the horizontal,
y is the height above the ground where the shot leaves
the hand, and g is the magnitude of the acceleration due to
gravity (Figure 17).
(a) Determine the range of a shot released 2.2 m above
the ground with an initial velocity of 13 m/s [42 above
the horizontal].
(b) Compare your answer in (a) to the world record for the
shot put (currently about 23.1 m).
(c) Why do you think the equation given here differs from
the equation for horizontal range derived in this
section?
x
x1
y

x2

x3

starting line
Applying Inquiry Skills
9. A garden hose is held with its nozzle horizontally above the
ground (Figure 16). The flowing water follows projectile
motion. Given a metre stick and a calculator, describe how
you would determine the speed of the water coming out of
the nozzle.

NEL

Figure 17

Kinematics 51