Projectiles

Mechanics 1
Learning objectives
To be able to apply the equations of motion in vector form to projectile
To be able to find the time of flight of a projectile
To be able to find the range of a projectile
To be able to find the maximum height of a projectile
To be able to modify the equations to take account of the height of release
Exercise 1: Projectiles on the same plane
1:

A rugby ball is kicked from ground level, at A, so that the initial velocity is 18 m s1 and at an
angle of 45 above the horizontal. The ball lands at B which is at the same horizontal level
with A.
18 m s1
45
A

Find:
(a) the time of flight from A to B
(b) the horizontal distance from A to B
(c) the maximum height of the ball during its flight
2:

A golfer hits a ball, from ground level on a horizontal surface. The initial velocity of the ball
is 21 m s1 at an angle of 60 above the horizontal.
21 m s1

60
A
(a)
(b)
(c)
(b)

State two assumptions that you should make in order to model the motion of the ball
Find the speed of the ball at its maximum height.
Find the maximum height of the ball
Find the range of the ball from A to B

3:

A stunt motorcyclist takes off at a speed of 35 m s1 up a ramp of 30 to the horizontal to clear

a river 100 m wide. Does the cyclist succeed in doing this?

4:

A golf ball is hit at an angle of 70 to the horizontal with initial velocity u m s1. There is a
pond at the path of the ball as shown in the diagram.
u m s1

70
A

pond

80 m
100 m

(a)
(b)
(c)
5:

Show that the time taken until the ball hits the ground is
Show that the horizontal distance of the ball is
Find the range of possible values of u so that the ball will not land in the pond

A particle P is projected at time t = 0 in a vertical plane from a point O with speed u at an

angle above the horizontal. Write down expressions for:
u m s1

(a)
(b)

(i)
(ii)
(i)
(ii)

the horizontal velocity of P at time t

the vertical velocity of P at time t
the horizontal displacement, at time t, of P from O
the height, at time t, of P from O

Exercise 2: Projectiles at different levels

1:

A cricket ball is struck from A with a velocity of 20 m s1 at an angle of 60 to the horizontal

as shown in the diagram.

20 m s1
B
15 m

60
A
Horizontal distance

If the ball is caught at B when it is at a height of 15 m and travelling downwards, find:

2:

(a) the time of flight from A to B.

(b) the horizontal distance travelled by the ball.
A javelin is modelled as a particle. Assume that only gravity acts on the javelin after it leaves
the throwers hand. The javelin is released at a height of 2 metres above the ground level.
The initial velocity of the javelin is 20 m s1 at an angle of 40 above the horizontal.
30 m s1

2m

40

Horizontal distance

(a)
(b)
3:

Find the time will take for the javelin to hit the ground from the moment of its release
Find the horizontal distance the javelin travels from A to B

A golf ball is hit from a position that is 4 metres higher than the horizontal area where the ball
lands. The initial velocity of the ball is 30 m s1 at an angle of 60 above the horizontal.
30 m s1

60
4m
Horizontal distance

(a)
(b)
(c)

Show that the maximum height of the ball, above the landing area, is approximately
384 m.
Show that the ball hits the ground approximately 545 seconds after it has been hit.
Hence, calculate the horizontal range of the ball, to the nearest metre.

4:

During a game of football, Tom kicks the ball towards the goal. He kicks the ball with
velocity (8i + 7j) m s1, from a point O which is 10 metres from the goal. The height of the
goal is 244 metres.
The unit vectors i and j are horizontally and vertically upwards, respectively as shown in the
diagram.
(8i + 7j) m s1
244 m

j
i

O
10 m
(a)
(b)
(c)
5:

Show that the time the ball takes to reach the goal is 125 seconds.
Determine whether the ball passes under or over the top of the goal.
Find the speed of the ball when it reaches the goal, giving your answer to two
significant figures.
A ball is thrown so that it passes through the centre of a basketball hoop, as shown in the
diagram.

8 m s1
60

3m

1m

The ball is thrown from a height of 1 metre and the hoop is at a height of 3 metres above the
ground. The initial velocity of the ball is 8 m s-1 at an angle of 60 above the horizontal.
(a)
(b)
(c)
6:

Find the maximum height of the ball above the ground.

Find the time that it takes for the ball to reach the centre of the hoop.
Find the horizontal distance from the initial position of the ball to the centre of the hoop.

Take g = 10 m s2 in this question.

When a tennis ball is served, it is hit from a baseline A. It must pass over the net, at B, and
land between the net and the service line on the other side, at C. The diagram shows the
positions of these lines and the height of the net.

3m
1m
C

A
12 m

6m

6m

The tennis ball is served so that it initially moves horizontally at a speed of v m s1 from a
point 3 m above the baseline A. Assume there are no resistance forces and that the ball moves
in a vertical plane at right angles to the net.
(i) Show that v must be greater than m s1 if the ball is to go over the net.
(i) What is the maximum value of v if the ball is to land in the area between B and C?
(b) A tennis player hits a tennis ball so that it initially moves at a speed of 30 m s1 and at an
angle 5 below the horizontal. Is this serve successful?

(a)

Answers
Exercise 1
1:
2:
3:
4:
5:

(a) 260 s
(b)
331 m
(c)
827 m
(a) no air resistance, golf is modelled as a particle
(b) 105 m s1
(c)
169 m
(d)
390 m
Yes, predict 108 m
(c) 349 < u < 390
(a) u cos , u sin gt
(b) (u cos t, (u sin )t gt2

Exercise 2
1:
2:
3:
4:
5:
6:

(a)
(a)
(c)
(b)
(a)
(a)

345 s
(b)
404 s
(b)
82 m
under the bar (109m)
345 m
(b)
(ii) m s1
(b)

345 m
928 m
(c)
957 m s1
101 s
(c)
404 m
yes (014 m above the net and 1.4 m behind the line)