Projectile Motion

Question 1

What is a projectile?

Answer 1

An object that is launched into the air and is only affected by the forces of gravity and air resistance.

Question 2

What is the vertical component?

Answer 2

How high an object/body travels

Question 3

Which force affects the vertical component of an object?

Answer 3

Influenced by gravity

Question 4

Describe how gravity influences vertical component

Answer 4

• Gives objects their parabolic path
• Objects are pulled towards earth at 9.8m/s^2
• Speed of object decreases as it goes up, stattionary breifly at highest turning point, increases as it goes down.

Question 5

Describe the speed of object released and caught at same height

Answer 5

Same final speed and intitial speed

Question 6

What is the horizontal component?

Answer 6

The horizontal distance covered by projectile

Question 7

Which force affects the horizontal component of an object?

Answer 7

Air resistance
Object will hit more air particles as it travels further and will hence slow down

Question 8

What are the 3 factors that affect the path of a projectile?

Answer 8

1. Height of release
2. Angle of release
3. Speed of release

Question 9

What is Height of release?

Answer 9

The difference bewteen the release height and the landing height of a projectile.

Question 10

Height of release directly impacts what factor for a projectile?

Answer 10

The angle of release

Question 11

What is measured for the height of release for a persons tanding?

Answer 11

Their centre of gravity

Question 12

What are the 3 possible angle of releases for a projectile?

Answer 12

1. Greater the 45 degrees
2. Equal to 45 degrees
3. Less than 45 degrees

Question 13

When would an athlete’s angle of release be greater than 45 degrees?

Give examples

Answer 13

When height of release is lower than landing height

High jump, basketball shot near hoop, etc.

Question 14

When would an athlete’s angle of release be lower than 45 degrees?

Give examples

Answer 14

When height of release is higher than landing height

Discuss, Shot-put, diving, etc.

Question 15

When would an athlete’s angle of release be equal than 45 degrees?

Give examples

Answer 15

When height of release is same as landing height

Kicking soccer ball on ground, hitting golf ball on ground.

Question 16

In what situations for a projectile should angle of release be considered important?

Answer 16

When aiming for maximal distance

Question 17

Describe how a taller shot putter will have a different angle of release compared to shorter short putter.

Answer 17

• Taller short putter will already have more vertical height
• So they will have a smaller angle of release
• This will allow for more effort into achieving maximal horizontal distance

Hieght situation applies for any scenario linked to maximal distance

Question 18

What does speed of release affect?

Answer 18

How far a projectile goes
Greater speed of release = greater horizontal distance

Question 19

Why wouldn’t a person throwing ball in basketball from person to person (release height and landing height is same) require a 45 degrees angle of release?

Answer 19

• The are not aiming for maximal distance
• Angle of release lower than 45 degrees shoukd be used
• Thus, a flatter trajectory means ball travels faster
• thus, harder to intercept