Projectile Motion

Question 1

What is projectile motion?

Answer 1

The movement of a body or object through the air following a flight path under different forces acting

Question 2

Give 3 examples of projectile motion

Answer 2

Human bodies - during the flight phase of a jump
Throwing implements - shot put, discus, javelin
Ball sports - basketball, badminton, football

Question 3

Which 3 forces affect projectile motion?

Answer 3

Gravity, air resistance, lift

Question 4

How does gravity affect projectile motion?

Answer 4

> gravity is constantly pulling down objects in flight
object begins to fall if lift forces are weaker than gravitational pull

Question 5

How does air resistance affect projectile motion?

Answer 5

> frictional force
slows down velocity of an object
faster projectile travels - greater air resistance
shape and weight of an object influences air resistance

Question 6

How do lift forces affect projectile motion?

Answer 6

> cause an object to rise when in flight
air flowing over a discus has longer to travel than air below, causing higher pressure under the discus, pushing it up
Bernoulli and Magnus effect

Question 7

What is a parabolic flight path?

Answer 7

> flight of a shot put
high mass, slow velocity
air resistance is minimal

Question 8

What is a non-parabolic flight path?

Answer 8

> flight of a shuttlecock
very low mass, uneven surface
increase air resistance

Question 9

What is horizontal displacement?

Answer 9

The distance a projectile has moved between its point of release and its point of landing, measured in a straight line parallel to the ground

Question 10

What three factors affect horizontal displacement?

Answer 10

1) angle of release
2) speed of release
3) height of release

Question 11

What determines angle of release?

Answer 11

Release height and landing height

Question 12

What would the optimal angle of release be if the release height and landing height were equal?

Answer 12

45 degrees
(E.g. long jump)

Question 13

What would the optimal angle of release be if the release height is below the landing height?

Answer 13

Greater than 45 degrees
(E.g. basketball)

Question 14

What would the optimal angle of release be if the release height is greater than the landing height?

Answer 14

Lower than 45 degrees
(E.g. Shot put)

Question 15

How does the speed of release impact maximal displacement?

Answer 15

Newton’s 2nd law of acceleration - greater force applied, greater acceleration

Question 16

How does height of release affect horizontal displacement?

Answer 16

To reduce the impact of gravity