MOTION IN TWO DIMENSIONS

Projectile motion Lesson

Learning Outcomes and Assessment Standards
Learning Outcome 1: Practical Scientific inquiry and problem solving skills
1
The learner is able to confidently explore and investigate phenomena relevant to Physical
Science by using enquiry, problem solving, critical thinking and other skills.
We know this when the learner is able to:
• Interpret data to draw conclusions.
• Solve problems.
• Communicating and presenting information and scientific arguments.
Learning Outcome 2: Constructing and applying Scientific knowledge
The learner is able to access, interpret, construct and use Physical Science concepts to explain
phenomena relevant to Physical Science.We know this when the learner is able to:
• Recall and state specified concepts.
• Indicate and explain.
• Apply scientific knowledge.

Overview
Requirements for this section of the curriculum
Projectile motion represented in words, diagrams, equations and graphs
For vertical projectile motion (near the surface of the Earth if air friction is ignored)
● Explain that projectiles:
◦ fall freely with gravitational acceleration ‘g’
◦ accelerate downwards with a constant acceleration whether the projectile is
moving upward or downward
◦ have zero velocity at their greatest height
◦ take the same the time to reach their greatest height from the point of
upward launch as the time they take to fall back to the point of launch
◦ can have their motion described by a single set of equations for the upward
and downward motion.
● Use equations of motion, e.g. to determine:
◦ the greatest height reached given the velocity with which the projectile is
launched upward (initial velocity)
◦ the time at which a projectile is at a particular height given its initial velocity
◦ the height relative to the ground of the position of a projectile shot vertically
upward at launch, given the time for the projectile to reach the ground.
● Draw position vs time (x vs t), velocity vs time (v vs t) and acceleration vs time
(a vs t) graphs for projectile motion.
● Give equations for position versus time and velocity versus time for the graphs
of motion of particular projectiles and vice versa:
● Given x vs t, v vs t or a vs t graphs:
◦ determine position, displacement, velocity or acceleration at any time t
◦ describe the motion of the object e.g. graphs showing a ball bouncing or
◦ thrown vertically upwards thrown vertically downward, and so on.

Links to Grade 10 (motion in one dimension)

Links to Grade 11 (Newton’s Second Law and the Law of Universal 1
Gravitation)

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 ● The equations of motion are identical to the equations introduced in Grade 10.
● Use the general equations and set a = g for the vertical component of the
motion and a = 0 for the horizontal component.
● Select positive and negative directions and make sure that the signs of the
displacement, velocity and acceleration are consistent with the chosen
direction.
● The acceleration of gravity always points downwards.
● When the velocity has a_ horizontal and a vertical component
● Use Pythagoras, v = √vi + v f2, to calculate the magnitude of the velocity and
2
vy
θ = tan–1 __
vx to calculate the angle of elevation.

In this lesson …
Projectile motion in words, diagrams and equations. Some problems with
calculations.

Lesson
DVD FOUR EQUATIONS OF MOTION
A body in motion in a straight line, in any direction, with constant acceleration
…

or or
or or

needs five parameters (one is a constant and four are variables) to describe its
motion:
vi or u = initial velocity (can be + or –, depending on direction convention used)
vf or v = final velocity (can be + or –, depending on direction convention used)
a = acceleration (can be + or –, depending on direction convention used)
x or s = displacement (can be + or –, depending on direction convention used)
t = time (period over which the motion is examined).
Four equations can be derived to describe the body’s motion:
vi + vf
average displacement s = _
u+v
2
·t or x = _ 2
·t (equation independent of a)
final velocity v = u + at or vf = vi + at (equation independent of s)
final velocity v² = u² + 2as or vf = vi + 2ax
2 2
(equation independent of t)
displacement s = ut + __12 at² or x = vit + __12 at² (equation independent of v)
a is a constant and v, u, s and t are variables.

PROJECTILES AND MISSILES

The English language is full of words with more than one meaning. Often words
take on new meanings due to localised or fashionable usage. In science, because
words are used to describe precise concepts, we must be very careful that our
chosen words convey ideas precisely and that they are not contaminated by
confusing, alternative meanings due to the way the word is commonly used.
2

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 For example:
“The protesters threw missiles at the police …”
“More and more countries are developing anti-aircraft missiles.”
Here we see two meanings for the word “missile”.
In the first sentence we are referring to something that is thrown or propelled by
a force. Once the object (e.g. a stone) has been propelled the force of propulsion
(from the thrower’s hand) is removed. In the second sentence we are referring to
a rocket whose engines provide a continuous force of propulsion as the object
travels through the air.
Q: What, then, are projectiles and missiles in the context of the physical
sciences?
A1: A missile has its own, continuous source of propulsion, as in a rocket.
A2: A projectile is launched, thrown, catapulted or projected by a force which
lasts only as long as the actual launching/projection is in process e.g. the
force on a stone being thrown lasts only while the stone and the thrower’s
hand are in contact.

FORCES ON A PROJECTILE
● For our purposes, the only force acting on a projectile while it is in flight is the
force of gravity.
● The only other force that acted on the object was the force that caused it to
move in the first place. (But the effect of this force ceases once the projectile is
in motion.)
● The only force apart from gravity that could have an effect during the flight of
a projectile is air resistance. Since air resistance is a small force we usually
ignore it in our calculations.

HOW PROJECTILES MOVE

[In these examples we will choose the “direction convention” as being positive (+) for
the upwards direction.]

Thrown vertically upwards with an Thrown vertically downwards with an

initial, upward velocity, +u. initial velocity, -u.

– uv

+ uv

A B

Thrown horizontally with an initial, Thrown at an angle of depression.

horizontal component of velocity, uh, Here, neither component of the initial
and an initial vertical component of velocity will be zero i.e. uh ≠ 0 and uv ≠
velocity, uv = 0. 0. uv < 0.

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 uh uh

– u v

C D

Thrown at an angle of elevation.

Here, neither component of the initial
velocity will be zero i.e. uh ≠ 0 and
uv ≠ 0. uv > 0.

+ uv

uh

POINTS TO NOTE ABOUT PROJECTILE MOTION

1. The acceleration of a projectile is the acceleration due to gravity.
● The only force acting on a projectile is the force of gravity.
● The acceleration due to gravity is ALWAYS downwards, regardless of the
direction the body is moving.
● In other words, when a projectile moves upwards, the acceleration is
opposite to its motion, and is hence a negative (retarding) acceleration.
● When the projectile moves downwards, the acceleration is in the same
direction and hence it causes the body to accelerate downwards.
● g = 10 m·s–2 (approximation) or g = 9,8 m·s–2 (more accurate)
2. The horizontal and vertical components of motion of a projectile are
independent of one another.
● The horizontal component of a projectile’s velocity is NOT affected by
gravity.
● In the horizontal direction, a projectile obeys Newton’s First law of Motion
i.e. it maintains a constant velocity (equal to the horizontal component of
the initial velocity) since it is not acted upon by a force in the horizontal
direction.
● The vertical component of a projectile’s motion is motion in a straight line
with constant acceleration (a = g).
● In the vertical direction a projectile obeys Newton’s Second Law of
Motion.

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 3. If the horizontal and vertical components of velocity are known, the
magnitude and direction of the velocity can be calculated.
__
● From Pythagoras we see that v = √vh2 + vv2 and therefore …
vv
● θ = tan–1 __
vh gives the angle of elevation or depression.
4. When calculating projectile motion
● The horizontal component of velocity remains constant regardless of what
happens in the vertical direction.
● In other words, the horizontal and vertical motions of the projectile can be
calculated separately.
● The motion of the projectile in the vertical direction can be described by
using three of the equations for motion in a straight line under constant
acceleration:
◦ vv = uv + gt
◦ vv² = uv² + 2gh
◦ h = uvt + __12 gt²
● In the three equations h is the vertical height of the projectile.
● The time that a projectile spends in the air depends only on its motion
in the vertical direction i.e. its time-of-flight has nothing to do with the
horizontal component of motion.
● Horizontal distance depends on Vh and t

Activity 1.1
A snooker ball rests on the edge of a 1,2 m high table. It is struck hard with a INDIVIDUAL
snooker cue and moves horizontally off the table with a speed of 4 m·s–1.
a) How long does the ball take to reach the ground? BASELINE
ASSESSMENT
b) How far from the foot of the table does the ball land?
c) What is the velocity of the ball when it strikes the ground?

Activity 1.2
A large gun fires a shell at an angle of 60°. If the shell leaves the barrel at INDIVIDUAL
144 m·s–1:
a) What distance away did the shell land? BASELINE
ASSESSMENT
b) What was the maximum height achieved by the shell on its trajectory?
Note: Ignore the effects of air resistance and the curvature of the Earth.

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