Welcome to projectile motion! A projectile is any object that is thrown, shot, or launched into the air. The key characteristic is that once launched, it is subject only to the force of gravity, assuming we ignore air resistance. This creates a beautiful curved path called a trajectory, which is typically shaped like a parabola.
To understand projectile motion, we need to break down the initial velocity into two independent components. The horizontal component, V x, points forward in the direction of motion. The vertical component, V y, points upward. These two components work completely independently of each other, which is a key principle in understanding projectile motion.
Now let's examine the horizontal motion of a projectile. Since there are no horizontal forces acting on the projectile after launch, ignoring air resistance, the horizontal velocity remains completely constant throughout the entire flight. This means the projectile moves forward at a steady, uniform speed. The equation for horizontal position is simply x equals V x times t, showing this linear relationship.
The vertical motion is more complex because gravity constantly acts downward with an acceleration of 9.8 meters per second squared. As the projectile rises, its upward velocity decreases due to gravity. At the peak, the vertical velocity becomes zero momentarily. Then as it falls, the downward velocity increases. The equation for vertical position includes both the initial upward velocity and the effect of gravitational acceleration.
To summarize what we have learned about projectile motion: It combines two independent motions - constant horizontal velocity and accelerated vertical motion due to gravity. The horizontal component remains unchanged throughout the flight, while the vertical component changes continuously. Together, these create the characteristic parabolic trajectory that helps us predict and understand projectile behavior in physics and engineering applications.