Projectile Motion Flashcards
What is a projectile?
An object that is launched into the air and is only affected by the forces of gravity and air resistance.
What is the vertical component?
How high an object/body travels
Which force affects the vertical component of an object?
Influenced by gravity
Describe how gravity influences vertical component
- 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.
Describe the speed of object released and caught at same height
Same final speed and intitial speed
What is the horizontal component?
The horizontal distance covered by projectile
Which force affects the horizontal component of an object?
Air resistance
Object will hit more air particles as it travels further and will hence slow down
What are the 3 factors that affect the path of a projectile?
- Height of release
- Angle of release
- Speed of release
What is Height of release?
The difference bewteen the release height and the landing height of a projectile.
Height of release directly impacts what factor for a projectile?
The angle of release
What is measured for the height of release for a persons tanding?
Their centre of gravity
What are the 3 possible angle of releases for a projectile?
- Greater the 45 degrees
- Equal to 45 degrees
- Less than 45 degrees
When would an athlete’s angle of release be greater than 45 degrees?
Give examples
When height of release is lower than landing height
High jump, basketball shot near hoop, etc.
When would an athlete’s angle of release be lower than 45 degrees?
Give examples
When height of release is higher than landing height
Discuss, Shot-put, diving, etc.
When would an athlete’s angle of release be equal than 45 degrees?
Give examples
When height of release is same as landing height
Kicking soccer ball on ground, hitting golf ball on ground.
In what situations for a projectile should angle of release be considered important?
When aiming for maximal distance
Describe how a taller shot putter will have a different angle of release compared to shorter short putter.
- 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
What does speed of release affect?
How far a projectile goes
Greater speed of release = greater horizontal distance
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?
- 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
