PROJECTILE MOTION

PROJECTILE

• A projectile is an object upon which the only force is gravity.

• Gravity, being a downward force, causes a projectile to accelerate in the downward direction.

• The force of gravity could never alter the horizontal velocity of an object .A vertical force does not effect a horizontal motion.

COMPONENTS OF A VECTOR

• These two parts of the two-dimensional vector are referred to as components.

• A component describes the effect of a single vector in a given direction. Any force vector that is exerted at an angle to the horizontal can be considered as having two parts or components.

• The vector sum of these two components is always equal to the force at the given angle. This is depicted in the diagram below.

ASinA

ACosA

y

x

COMPONENTS OF VECTORS

xA

Ax

http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/vectors/u3l2a.cfm

Horizontally Launched ProjectilesImagine a cannonball being launched from a cannon atop a very high cliff. What will be the path of the cannonball and how can the motion of the cannonball be described?

PROJECTILE MOTION