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Physics Lesson 3.12.1 - What is a projectile?
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Welcome to our Physics lesson on What is a projectile?, this is the first lesson of our suite of physics lessons covering the topic of Motion in Two Dimensions. Projectile Motion, you can find links to the other lessons within this tutorial and access additional physics learning resources below this lesson.
What is a projectile?
Projectile motion is a kind of motion experienced by an object that is projected near the Earth's surface and moves along a curved path under the action of gravity only (if the effects of air resistance are assumed to be negligible). This curved path is a parabola. In the special case when the object is thrown directly upwards as discussed before, it may also be a straight line. The study of such motions is called ballistics, and such a trajectory is known as a ballistic trajectory. As stated before, the parabolic trajectory takes place when the object is thrown at an angle that is different from 90° to the horizontal direction. Look at the figure below:
The object is thrown at initial velocity v⃗0 and at an angle θ to the horizontal direction. The direction of the initial velocity vector is according the tangent to the line at the given point. Therefore, it may not show the direction of motion but touches the trajectory only at the starting point. It is obvious the angle θ is different from 90°, otherwise, the object would move only vertically. It cannot maintain the initial linear direction as shown by the vector v⃗0 as the gravity pulls it down. As a result, the object will follow a parabolic path (it was first demonstrated by Galileo Galilei) as shown in the figure above.
When the object is thrown at an angle θ to the horizontal direction, the only downwards force is the gravitational force, which tries to pull the object down. However, the object continues to move up for a while due to the effect of the initial throwing force. Therefore, it will not fall immediately on the ground but it will follow a parabolic path. This parabolic path is otherwise known as the "trajectory" of the object.
You have reach the end of Physics lesson 3.12.1 What is a projectile?. There are 2 lessons in this physics tutorial covering Motion in Two Dimensions. Projectile Motion, you can access all the lessons from this tutorial below.
More Motion in Two Dimensions. Projectile Motion Lessons and Learning Resources
Whats next?
Enjoy the "What is a projectile?" physics lesson? People who liked the "Motion in Two Dimensions. Projectile Motion lesson found the following resources useful:
- Projectile Definition Feedback. Helps other - Leave a rating for this projectile definition (see below)
- Kinematics Physics tutorial: Motion in Two Dimensions. Projectile Motion. Read the Motion in Two Dimensions. Projectile Motion physics tutorial and build your physics knowledge of Kinematics
- Kinematics Revision Notes: Motion in Two Dimensions. Projectile Motion. Print the notes so you can revise the key points covered in the physics tutorial for Motion in Two Dimensions. Projectile Motion
- Kinematics Practice Questions: Motion in Two Dimensions. Projectile Motion. Test and improve your knowledge of Motion in Two Dimensions. Projectile Motion with example questins and answers
- Check your calculations for Kinematics questions with our excellent Kinematics calculators which contain full equations and calculations clearly displayed line by line. See the Kinematics Calculators by iCalculator™ below.
- Continuing learning kinematics - read our next physics tutorial: Relative Motion
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