Projectile Motion (OCR AS Physics): Revision Note

Vertical & Horizontal Motion of a Projectile

• The trajectory of an object undergoing projectile motion consists of a vertical component and a horizontal component

  • These need to be evaluated separately

• Some key terms to know, and how to calculate them, are:

  • Time of flight: how long the projectile is in the air

  • Maximum height attained: the height at which the projectile is momentarily at rest

  • Range: the horizontal distance travelled by the projectile

How to find the time of flight, maximum height and range

Problems Involving Projectile Motion

• There are two main considerations for solving problems involving two-dimensional motion of a projectile

  • Constant velocity in the horizontal direction

  • Constant acceleration in a perpendicular direction

• The only force acting on the projectile, after it has been released, is gravity

• There are three possible scenarios for projectile motion:

  • Vertical projection

  • Horizontal projection

  • Projection at an angle