Applied Physics
Mr. Harwood
Name: ________________________
Period: ____
Chapter 3 Vocabulary List (Projectile Motion)
1. Components –
2. Projectile –
3. Resolution –
4. Resultant –
5. Satellite –
6. Scalar Quantity –
7. Vector –
8. Vector Quantity –
Applied Physics
Mr. Harwood
Name: _________________________
Period: ____
Chapter 3 Review Questions (p.40 #2,8,9,10,12,13,17,18)
2. Why is speed classified as a scalar quantity and velocity classified as a vector
quantity? (3.1)
8. In the absence of air resistance, why does the horizontal component of velocity for a
projectile remain constant while the vertical component changes? (3.4)
9. How does the vertical component of the motion of a projectile compare with the
motion of free fall? (3.4)
10. At the instant a ball is thrown horizontally over a level range, a ball held at the side is
released and drops to the ground. If air resistance is neglected, which ball strikes the
ground first? (3.4)
12. At what angle should a slingshot be oriented for maximum altitude? For maximum
horizontal range? (3.5)
13. Neglecting air resistance, if you throw a ball straight up at 20m/s, how fast will it be
moving when you catch it? (3.5)
17. Why is it important that a satellite be above earth’s atmosphere? (3.6)
18. What force acts on a satellite that is above earth’s atmosphere? (3.6)
Applied Physics
Mr. Harwood
Name: ________________________
Period: ____
Projectile Motion Half Parabola Worksheet
2d y
d x  v1xt
t
g  10 sm2
g
Trajectory Diagram
1. A half parabola path is shown to the right.
Label the following parts of the path:
 The Trajectory
 The Apex
 The Maximum Height
 The Range
Comparison of Times and Range
2. Assume the cliff is 40m high. How long would it take to drop an object from that
height to the cliff bottom below? (Use one of the equations above.)
3. Now assume that a second object is thrown horizontally from the same height (40m)
at a velocity of 10 ms .
a. How long will this object take to make it to the cliff bottom below?
b. How far from the base of the cliff will the object land (range)?
Applications
4. How would the presence of air resistance affect the following parts of the half
parabola trajectory:
a. The maximum height?
b. The range?
c. Draw what you think the new trajectory would look like with the presence of air
resistance. Do it in the original diagram above and label it.
5. Based on what is seen, how must a gun or bow sight be adjusted so that a target can
be hit? (Hint: Can the gun/bow point directly at the target?)
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____________________________________________________________________
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Applied Physics
Mr. Harwood
Name: ________________________
Period: ____
Projectile Motion Full Parabola Worksheet
v1x  v cos  v1 y  v sin 
t full 
2v1 y
g
tapex 
v1y
g
d y apex  v1 ytapex  12 gtapex 2
g  10 sm2
d x  v1x t full
Trajectory Diagram
1. The full parabola path is shown to the right. Label the following parts of the path:
 The Trajectory
 The Launch Angle
 The Apex
 The Range
 The Velocity Vector  v 


The Horizontal Velocity
Vector  v1x 

The Vertical Velocity
Vector  v1 y 
Launch Velocity Vector Breakdown (x and y components of velocity)
2. If we rearrange the vectors above, they form a triangle, which
allows us to use sine and cosine to find the components of the
velocity. Suppose the velocity of the projectile is as follows:
v  50 ms
  45
a. Calculate v1x using the formula above.
b. Calculate v1y using the formula above.
c. Calculate the time it takes for the projectile to reach its apex.
d. Calculate the height of the apex from the ground (dy-apex)
(Hint: Make sure to use the apex time.)
e. Calculate the time it takes for projectile to go the full flight.
f. Calculate the range of the projectile (dx).
v

v1x
v1y
3. For a given launch speed  0    90 , there are always 2 launch angles that will
produce the same range. Give the matching launch angle to the angles below in order
to have a projectile get the same range as the angle given. (Hint: The two angles must
add up to some number. Check notes)
a. 30
b. 15
c. 37
d. 89
e. 45
f. 90
4. What is the launch angle that will give the maximum range for a projectile at a given
launch speed?
5. What is the launch angle that will give a vertical velocity component  v1 y  of half the
original velocity value  v  ? (Test some angles using the sine formula until you get
sin   0.5 )
6. Give two examples of where full parabola paths can be observed in everyday life.
a. _________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________
7. Air resistance affects any projectile trajectory. A trajectory free of air resistance is
shown below. Draw a similar trajectory on the same image, but consider air
resistance in your drawing (Hint: It should look slightly different).