Projectile motion
Projectile motion is a form of motion in which an object or particle (called a projectile) is thrown obliquely near the earth's surface, and it moves along a curved path under the action of gravity only.The path followed by a projectile motion is called its trajectory. Projectile motion only occurs when there is one force applied at the beginning of the trajectory, after which there is no force in operation apart from gravity.
The initial velocity
If the projectile is launched with an initial velocity v0, then it can be written as
- .
The components v0x and v0y can be found if the angle, θ is known:
- ,
- .
If the projectile's range, launch angle, and drop height are known, launch velocity can be found using Newton's formula
- .
The launch angle is usually expressed by the symbol theta, but often the symbol alpha is used.
Kinematic quantities of projectile motion .
In projectile motion, the horizontal motion and the vertical motion are independent of each other; that is, neither motion affects the other.
Acceleration
Since there is no acceleration in the horizontal direction, the velocity in the horizontal direction is constant, being equal to v0 cos θ. The vertical motion of the projectile is the motion of a particle during its free fall. Here the acceleration is constant, being equal to g.[1] The components of the acceleration are:
- ,
- .
Velocity
The horizontal component of the velocity of the object remains unchanged throughout the motion. The vertical component of the velocity increases linearly, because the acceleration due to gravity is constant. The accelerations in the x and y directions can be integrated to solve for the components of velocity at any time t, as follows:
- ,
- .
The magnitude of the velocity (under the Pythagorean theorem):
- .
Displacement
At any time t, the projectile's horizontal and vertical displacement:
- ,
- .
The magnitude of the displacement:
- .
Parabolic trajectory
Consider the equations,
- ,
- .
If t is eliminated between these two equations the following equation is obtained:
- ,
This equation is the equation of a parabola. Since g, θ, and v0 are constants, the above equation is of the form
- ,
in which a and b are constants. This is the equation of a parabola, so the path is parabolic. The axis of the parabola is vertical.
The maximum height of projectile
The highest height which the object will reach is known as the peak of the object's motion. The increase of the height will last, until , that is,
- .
Time to reach the maximum height:
- .
From the vertical displacement of the maximum height of projectile:
- .
Relation between horizontal range and maximum height
The relation between the range (R) on the horizontal plane and the maximum height (h) reached at td/2 is:
The maximum distance of projectile
The horizontal range d of the projectile is the horizontal distance the projectile has travelled when it returns to its initial height (y = 0).
- .
Time to reach ground:
- .
From the horizontal displacement the maximum distance of projectile:
- ,
so[2]
- .
Note that d has its maximum value when
- ,
which necessarily corresponds to
- ,
or
- .
Application of the work energy theorem
According to the work-energy theorem the vertical component of velocity:
- .
Projectile motion in art
- The sixth panel of Hwaseonghaenghaengdo Byeongpun (화성행행도 병풍) describes King Shooting Arrows at Deukjung Pavilion, 1795-02-14. According to palace records, Lady Hyegyeong, the King's mother, was so pleased to be presented with this 8-panels screen of such magnificent scale and stunning precision that she rewarded each of the seven artists who participated in its production. The artists were Choe Deuk-hyeon, Kim Deuk-sin, Yi Myeong-gyu, Jang Han-jong (1768 - 1815), Yun Seok-keun, Heo Sik (1762 - ?) and Yi In-mun.
References
- Budó Ágoston: Kísérleti fizika I.,Budapest, Tankönyvkiadó, 1986. ISBN 963 17 8772 9 (Hungarian)
- Ifj. Zátonyi Sándor: Fizika 9.,Budapest, Nemzeti Tankönyvkiadó, 2009. ISBN 978-963-19-6082-2 (Hungarian)
- Hack Frigyes: Négyjegyű függvénytáblázatok, összefüggések és adatok, Budapest, Nemzeti Tankönyvkiadó, 2004. ISBN 963-19-3506-X (Hungarian)
Notes
- ↑ The g is the acceleration due to gravity. (9.81 m/s2 near the surface of the Earth).
- ↑ 2·sin(α)·cos(α) = sin(2α)
- Since the value of g is not specific the body with high velocity over g limit cannot be measured using the concept of the projectile motion
External links
- Open Source Physics computer model
- A Java simulation of projectile motion, including first-order air resistance