Projectile motion
Projectile motion is an interactive experiment in Mechanics & Motion, a free simulation from StudyFi Lab that runs right in your browser.
Projectile motion is two independent motions: horizontally the body keeps a constant speed vₓ = v₀·cos θ, vertically gravity g slows it down and then speeds it up. The path is a parabola. From the ground the range is d = v₀²·sin 2θ / g and the maximum height h = (v₀·sin θ)² / 2g; a throw at 45° goes furthest.
Try this: Throw at 30° and then at 60° — the range is the same. Then switch to the Moon and see how far it goes.
Frequently asked questions
What does the “Projectile motion” experiment show?
Projectile motion is two independent motions: horizontally the body keeps a constant speed vₓ = v₀·cos θ, vertically gravity g slows it down and then speeds it up. The path is a parabola. From the ground the range is d = v₀²·sin 2θ / g and the maximum height h = (v₀·sin θ)² / 2g; a throw at 45° goes furthest.
How do I try “Projectile motion”?
Throw at 30° and then at 60° — the range is the same. Then switch to the Moon and see how far it goes.
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