Name
Pd
AP Physics Projectile Motion Example Problems
1. The punter on a football team tries to kick a football so that it stays in the air for a
long “hang time.” If the ball is kicked with an initial velocity of 25.0 m/s at an angle of
60 above the ground, what is the “hang time”? (4.4 sec)
2. A rock climber throws a first aid kit to another climber who is higher up the mountain.
The initial velocity of the kit is 11 m/s at an angle of 65 above the horizontal. At the
instant when the kit is caught, it is traveling horizontally, so its vertical speed is zero.
What is the vertical height between the two climbers? (5.07 m)
3. A quarterback throws a pass to a receiver, who catches it 0.4 m below the height with
which it was thrown. The initial velocity of the ball is 15.0 m/s, at an angle of 25 above
the horizontal. What is the horizontal component of the ball’s velocity when the receiver
catches it? What is the vertical component? What is the resultant velocity of the football?
How long is the ball in the air? (13.6 m/s, -6.93 m/s, 15.25 m/s @ 27˚ below the
horizontal, 1.35 s)
4. A fire hose held near the ground shoots water at a speed of 6.8m/s. At what angle(s)
should the nozzle point in order that the water land 2.0 m away? (13˚, 77˚)