Projectile Motion Flashcards
Define projectile motion
The movement of a body through the air following a curved flight path under the force of gravity
What is a projectile
A body that is launched into the air losing contact with the ground surface, such as a discus or a long jumper
Factors affecting horizontal distance travelled by a projectile
• speed of release
• angle of release
• height of release
• aerodynamic factors (Bernoulli + Magnus)
What happens when projectile is released at different angles: 90°, >45 e.g. 60, 45, <45 e.g. 30
90: accelerate vertically upwards, come straight back down travelling 0m
60: reaches peak hight too quickly and rapidly returns to ground
45: optimal angle to maximise horizontal distance
30: does not achieve sufficient hight to maximise flight time
What happens when:
• release height is above landing height e.g. shot put (positive relative release hight)
• release height is below landing height e.g. bunker shot in golf (negative relative release height
PRRH - optimal release angle is <45° as projectile already has increased height of release
NRRH - optimal release angle is >45° as projectile needs increased flight time to overcome the obstacles
What is a parabolic flight path
A flight path symmetrical about its highest point, caused by the dominant weight force of a projectile (weight > air resistance). E.g. shot put
What is a non-parabolic flight path
A flight path that is asymmetrical about its highest point caused by the dominant force of air resistance on the projectile (air resistance > weight). E.g. badminton shuttle
Define resultant force
The sum of all forces acting on a body or the net force acting on the projectile