Projectile motion

Now that we have learned how about vector components and how to add vectors, the next logical step would be to apply our newly learned knowledge to solve projectile motions.

We started studying vector components by doing an experiment with a marble and a small ramp. The goal of this experiment was to prove gravity; that is, prove that gravity has an acceleration of 9.8 m/s^2. The experiment involved rolling the marble off the small ramp when it was placed on a table. Then we had to record the time it took for the marble to hit the ground after it left the ramp. With a piece of chart paper and a sheet of carbon paper, we also had to find out the horizontal distance from the table to where the marble landed. We then had to use this information to calculate the acceleration of gravity and the final velocity of the marble.

So, in order to solve problems involving projectile motion, one first has to separate the x and y components of the motion. The x component represents the horizontal motion of the object. For the problems that we are doing right now, the velocities in the x direction are always constant. Also, the effects of air resistance are ignored. The y component  represents the vertical motion of the object. For the problems that we are solving currently, the vertical motion is almost always downwards. The initial velocity is 0 m/s and the acceleration is 9.8m/s^2 downwards. Like the x component, the effects of air resistance are ignored.

One uses both of these x and y vector components to calculate the actual motion of object. The components are simply added to each other to find the resultant motion.

Here is a picture to illustrate the motion of a projectile dropped from an airplane: