Initial Velocity Components
It has already been stated and thoroughly discussed that the horizontal and vertical motions of a projectile are independent of each other. The horizontal velocity of a projectile does not affect how…
Describing Projectiles With Numbers: (Horizontal and Vertical Displacement)
The previous diagrams, tables, and discussion pertain to how the horizontal and vertical components of the velocity vector change with time during the course of projectile's trajectory. Now we will investigate the…
Describing Projectiles With Numbers: (Horizontal and Vertical Velocity)
So far in Lesson 2 you have learned the following conceptual notions about projectiles. · A projectile is any object upon which the only force is gravity, · Projectiles travel with a…
Characteristics of a Projectile’s Trajectory
As discussed earlier in this lesson, a projectile is an object upon which the only force acting is gravity. Many projectiles not only undergo a vertical motion, but also undergo a…
Projectile Motion and Inertia
Many students have difficulty with the concept that the only force acting upon an upward moving projectile is gravity. Their conception of motion prompts them to think that if an…
Projectile Motion
What is a Projectile? · In Unit 1 of the Physics Classroom Tutorial, we learned a variety of means to describe the 1-dimensional motion of objects. In Unit 2 of the Physics Classroom Tutorial,…
Independence of Perpendicular Components of Motion
A force vector that is directed upward and rightward has two parts - an upward part and a rightward part. That is to say, if you pull upon an object…
Analysis of a Riverboat’s Motion
The effect of the wind upon the plane is similar to the effect of the river current upon the motorboat. If a motorboat were to head straight across a river…
Tailwinds, Headwinds, and Side Winds
To illustrate this principle, consider a plane flying amidst a tailwind. A tailwind is merely a wind that approaches the plane from behind, thus increasing its resulting velocity. If the plane…
Relative Velocity and Riverboat Problems
On occasion objects move within a medium that is moving with respect to an observer. For example, an airplane usually encounters a wind - air that is moving with respect…
