Example of Projectile Motion

Projectile motion is an example of Projectile Motion, as it occurs in a two-dimensional plane. The motion of a projectile i.e., an object performing the projectile motion, is under the influence of gravity due to which in the absence of gravity i.e., space, the objects do not perform the projectile motion. Let’s consider examples of projectile motion in the real world.

One familiar example is a ball thrown in the air by some player. When a player throws a ball in the air, the ball follows a projectile motion. The momentum of the player gives the player an advantage by allowing them to adjust the trajectory of the ball. Besides this, other examples of projectile motion include throwing a basketball, a stone into a river, a javelin, an angry bird, kicking a football, or firing a bullet. 

All the above-mentioned motions share the common characteristic of being influenced primarily by gravity after release. This means that when an object is thrown into the air, we can predict its duration in the air and the distance it will travel before hitting the ground, assuming we neglect air resistance. In the horizontal direction, there is no acceleration if air resistance is ignored.

Consequently, when an object is thrown near the Earth’s surface, its motion can be treated as two-dimensional, with acceleration occurring in one direction.

To illustrate this point, let’s consider a rolling ball. If the ball follows a specific path, it may seem like it is moving in two dimensions. However, if the ball rolls in a straight line, it becomes the motion in one dimension. The choice of axis does not change the nature of the motion itself.

On the other hand, when a ball is thrown at an angle with some initial velocity, its velocity has components in the x, y, and z directions. It might seem like this motion is three-dimensional. However, a plane can fully describe this type of motion, indicating that it is a two-dimensional motion. Regardless of the projection angle, as long as the body remains close to the Earth’s surface and air resistance is negligible, the motion will be two-dimensional. The choice of axes can be rotated to define the ball’s motion entirely.

In conclusion, the dimension of an object’s motion is determined by the minimum number of coordinates needed to fully describe its motion. Projectile motion occurs in a two-dimensional plane and is applicable to various real-life scenarios.

Projectile motion refers to the curved path an object follows when it is thrown or projected into the air and moves under the influence of gravity. In this motion, the object experiences two independent motions: horizontal motion (along the x-axis) and vertical motion (along the y-axis).

Projectile Motion can be seen in our daily life very easily as from throwing a rock to launching a cannonball are all examples of Projectile Motion. It is one of the fascinating topics in the field of physics which has very wide real-world applications. From sports to military technologies all leverage the understanding of Projectiles and their motion under the force of gravity.

Understanding Projectile motion helps us predict the trajectory, velocity, and range of objects that are thrown, launched, or dropped in the air. In this article, we will learn the key concepts and formulas of projectile motion and use those to solve real-world scenario-based problems.