Basics of Motion
What kind of path does a projectile follow?
Parabolic path
Which component of motion experiences constant acceleration?
The vertical component (due to gravity).
What angle gives the maximum range for a projectile launched from the ground?
45°
What shape does the graph of a projectile's horizontal position vs. vertical position form?
parabola
What are the two components of a projectile’s motion?
Horizontal and vertical components.
Which component of motion remains constant (no acceleration)?
The horizontal component
Why is the actual optimal angle for a baseball often less than the ideal 45°?
Air resistance and the ball being hit above ground level reduce the ideal angle.
What does the slope of a velocity–time graph represent?
acceleration
What happens to the vertical velocity at the top of a projectile’s path?
It becomes zero for an instant
If two balls are dropped and launched horizontally from the same height, which hits the ground first?
They hit the ground at the same time.
DAILY TRIPLE
Explain why horizontal and vertical motions are independent of each other, yet both determine the projectile’s path.
Gravity acts only vertically, so it doesn’t affect horizontal motion. The horizontal and vertical motions occur independently, but together they create the projectile’s curved (parabolic) path.
When vertical velocity changes from positive to negative, what is happening physically?
True or False: The horizontal velocity of a projectile changes throughout its flight.
false
When a projectile is launched at an angle, which velocity component determines how high it will go?
The vertical velocity component
A rock is thrown horizontally from a cliff. What determines how long it’s in the air?
The height of the cliff (vertical distance).
Why is acceleration constant even when velocity is changing in projectile motion?
Because gravity is constant (≈ 9.81 m/s² downward).
What is the independent variable when graphing a projectile’s trajectory?
Time (t) — plotted along the x-axis
When a projectile lands back at the same height, how do its initial and final speeds compare?
They are equal in magnitude, but opposite in vertical direction
If air resistance is included, what happens to the projectile’s range and height?
Both range and height decrease.
What type of mathematical function models projectile motion? (Hint: think “curve”)
A quadratic function