Oblique Projectile.
In projectile motion, horizontal component of velocity (u cos), acceleration (g) and
mechanical energy remains constant while, speed, velocity, vertical component of velocity
(u sin ), momentum, kinetic energy and potential energy all changes. Velocity, and KE are
maximum at the point of projection while minimum (but not zero) at highest point.
(1) Equation of trajectory:A projectile thrown with velocity u at an angle with the
horizontal. The velocity u can be resolved into two rectangular components.
Y
v cos component along X–axis and u sin component along Y–axis.
x P
x
For horizontal motion x = u cos t t …. (i)
u cos
u y
u sin
1 2 O u cos
For vertical motion y (u sin ) t …. (ii)
X
gt
2
x 1 x2
From equation (i) and (ii) y u sin g
u cos 2 u cos
2 2
1 gx 2
y x tan
2 u 2 cos 2
This equation shows that the trajectory of projectile is parabolic because it is similar to
equation of parabola
y = ax – bx2
Note: Equation of oblique projectile also can be written as
x
y x tan 1
R
u 2 sin 2
(Where R = horizontal range = )
g
(2) Displacement of projectile ( r ) : Let the particle acquires a position P having the
coordinates (x, y) just after time t from the instant of projection. The corresponding position
vector of the particle at time t is r as shown in the figure.
r xˆi yˆj ….(i)
Y
The horizontal distance covered during time t is given as
x v x t x u cos t ….(ii) P (x, y)
The vertical velocity of the particle at time t is given as
v vx
r
y
v y (v 0 )y gt, ….(iii) vy
O X
x
vi
Now the vertical displacement y is given as
y u sin t 1 / 2 gt 2 ….(iv)
Putting the values of x and y from equation (ii) and equation (iv) in equation (i) we obtain
the position vector at any time t as
2
1 1
r (u cos ) t ˆi (u sin ) t gt 2 ˆj r (u t cos ) 2 (u t sin ) gt 2
2 2
gt
2
gt sin ut sin 1 / 2 gt 2
r ut 1 and tan 1 (y / x ) tan 1 or
2u u (u t cos )
2u sin gt
tan 1
2u cos
Note: The angle of elevation of the highest point of the projectile and the Y
angle of projection are related to each other as
1
tan tan
2 u
H
O X
R
(3) Instantaneous velocity v:In projectile motion, vertical component of velocity changes
but horizontal component of velocity remains always constant.
Example: When a man jumps over the hurdle leaving behind its skateboard then vertical
component of his velocity is changing, but not the horizontal component, which matches
with the skateboard velocity.
As a result, the skateboard stays underneath him, allowing him to land on it.
Let vi be the instantaneous velocity of projectile at time t direction of this velocity is along
the tangent to the trajectory at point P.
v i v x i v y ˆj v i v x2 v y2 u 2 cos 2 (u sin gt ) 2
v i u 2 g 2 t 2 2u gt sin
vy u sin gt
Direction of instantaneous velocity tan or
vx u cos
gt
tan 1 tan sec
u
(4) Change in velocity:Initial velocity (at projection point) u i u cos ˆi u sin ˆj
Final velocity (at highest point) u f u cos ˆi 0 ˆj
(i) Change in velocity (Between projection point and highest point) u u f u i u sin ˆj
When body reaches the ground after completing its motion then final velocity
u f u cos ˆi u sin ˆj
(ii) Change in velocity (Between complete projectile motions) u u f u i 2u sin ˆi
(5) Change in momentum:Simply by the multiplication of mass in the above expression of
velocity (Article-4).
(i) Change in momentum (Between projection point and highest point)
p p f p i mu sin ˆj
(ii) Change in momentum (For the complete projectile motion) p p f p i 2mu sin ˆj
(6) Angular momentum: Angular momentum of projectile at highest point of trajectory
about the point of projection is given by
Y
u 2 sin 2
L mvr Here r H
2g
P = mv
u
u 2 sin 2 m u 3 cos sin 2
r
L m u cos
2g 2g O
X
(7) Time of flight : The total time taken by the projectile to go up and come down to the
same level from which it was projected is called time of flight.
For vertical upward motion 0 = u sin – gt t = (u sin /g)
Now as time taken to go up is equal to the time taken to come down so
2u sin
Time of flight T 2 t
g
2 .u y
(i) Time of flight can also be expressed as: T (where uy is the vertical component of
g
initial velocity).
(ii) For complementary angles of projection and 90o –
T 2u sin / g T
(a) Ratio of time of flight = 1 = tan 1 tan
T2 2u sin(90 ) / g T2
2u sin 2u cos 2R
(b) Multiplication of time of flight = T1 T 2 T1 T2
g g g
(iii) If t1 is the time taken by projectile to rise up to point p and t2 is the time taken in falling
2u sin
from point p to ground level then t 1 t 2 time of flight
g
g(t1 t 2 )
or u sin Y
2 t1
P
1 2 t2
and height of the point p is given by h u sin t1 gt1 h
2 X
(t t 2 )
O
1
hg 1 t1 gt12
2 2
gt t
by solving h 1 2
2
(iv) If B and C are at the same level on trajectory and the time difference between these two
points is t1, similarly A and D are also at the same level and the time difference between
these two positions is t2 then
8h
t 22 t 12 Y
g
t1
h B C
t2
A D
O X
(8) Horizontal range:It is the horizontal distance travelled by a body during the time of
flight.
So by using second equation of motion
Y
O Horizontal range
X
u 2 sin 2
R u cos T u cos (2u sin / g )
g
u 2 sin 2
R
g
(i) Range of projectile can also be expressed as:
2u sin 2 u cos u sin 2u x u y
R = u cos × T = u cos
g g g
2u x u y
R (Whereux and uy are the horizontal and vertical component of
g
initial velocity)
(ii) If angle of projection is changed from to = (90 – ) then range remains unchanged.
60o
30o
Blast
u 2 sin 2 ' u 2 sin[ 2(90 o )] u 2 sin 2
R' R
g g g
So a projectile has same range at angles of projection and (90 – ), though time of flight,
maximum height and trajectories are different.
These angles and 90o – are called complementary angles of projection and for
R1 u 2 sin 2 / g R
complementary angles of projection ratio of range 2 1 1 1
R 2 u sin [2 (90 )] / g
o
R2
(iii) For angle of projection 1 = (45 – ) and 2 = (45 + ), range will be same and equal to
u2 cos 2/g.
1 and 2 are also the complementary angles.
(iv) Maximumrange: For range to be maximum Y
dR d u 2 sin 2
0 0
d d g u
H
45
o
O Rmax = 4 H X
cos 2 = 0 i.e. 2 = 90o = 45o and Rmax = (u2/g)
i.e., a projectile will have maximum range when it is projected at an angle of 45 o to the
horizontal and the maximum range will be (u2/g).
When the range is maximum, the height H reached by the projectile
u 2 sin 2 u 2 sin 2 45 u 2 R max
H
2g 2g 4g 4
i.e., if a person can throw a projectile to a maximum distance Rmax, The maximum height to which it
R max
will rise is .
4
u 2 sin 2
(v) Relation between horizontal range and maximum height: R and
g
u 2 sin 2
H
2g
R u 2 sin 2 / g
2 4 cot R 4 H cot
H u sin 2 / 2 g
(vi) If in case of projectile motion range R is n times the maximum height H
u 2 sin 2 u 2 sin 2
i.e. R = nH n tan [4 / n] or tan 1 [4 / n]
g 2g
The angle of projection is given by tan 1 [4 / n]
Note : If R = H then tan 1 (4 ) or 76 .
o
If R = 4H then tan (1) or 45 o .
1
(9) Maximum height: It is the maximum height from the point of projection, a projectile
can reach.
So, by using v 2 u 2 2 as Y
0 (u sin ) 2 gH
2
u 2 sin 2 u
H
2g
Max. height
X
(i) Maximum height can also be expressed as O
u y2
H (where u y is the vertical component of initial velocity).
2g
u2
(ii) H max (when sin2 = max = 1 i.e., = 90o)
2g
i.e., for maximum height body should be projected vertically upward. So it falls back to the
point of projection after reaching the maximum height.
(iii) For complementary angles of projection and 90o –
H1 u 2 sin 2 / 2 g sin 2
Ratio of maximum height = 2 tan 2
H 2 u sin 2 (90 o )2 g cos 2
H1
tan 2
H2
(10) Projectile passing through two different points on same height at time t 1 and t2:
If the particle passes two points situated at equal height y at t t1 and t t 2 , then
(i) Height (y): y u sin t1
1 2
gt1 .....(i) Y
2
y u sin t 2
1 2
and gt 2 .....(ii)
2 u t = t1 t = t2
Comparing equation (i) with equation (ii)
y y
g t1 t 2
X
O
u sin
2
Substituting this value in equation (i)
t t2 1 gt1 t 2
y g 1 t1 gt12 y
2 2 2
1 2
(ii) Time (t1 and t2): y u sin t gt
2
2
2u sin 2y u sin 2 gy
t
2
t 0 t 1 1
g g g u sin
2 2
u sin 2 gy 1 1 2 gy
t1 1 1 and t 2 u sin
g u sin
g u sin
(11) Motion of a projectile as observed from another projectile: Suppose two balls A
and B are projected simultaneously from the origin, with initial velocities u 1 and u2 at angle
1 and 2, respectively with the horizontal.
Y
u1
y1 – y2
u2
1 B
2
The instantaneous positions of the two balls are given by
1 2
Ball A : x1 = (u1 cos1)t y 1 (u 1 sin 1 ) t gt
2
1 2
Ball B : x2 = (u2 cos2)t y 2 (u 2 sin 2 ) t gt
2
The position of the ball A with respect to ball B is given by
x x 1 x 2 (u 1 cos 1 u 2 cos 2 ) t
y y 1 y 2 (u1 sin 1 u 2 sin 2 ) t
y u 1 sin 1 u 2 sin 2
Now constant
x u 1 cos 1 u 2 cos 2
Thus motion of a projectile relative to another projectile is a straight line.
(12) Energy of projectile: When a projectile moves upward its kinetic energy decreases,
potential energy increases but the total energy always remain constant.
If a body is projected with initial kinetic energy K(=1/2 mu2), with angle of projection with
the horizontal then at the highest point of trajectory
Y
1 1 ucos
(i) Kinetic energy m (u cos ) 2 mu 2 cos 2 K = Kcos2
2 2 u
K ' K cos
2 K X
u 2 sin 2 1 As H u sin
2 2
(ii) Potential energy mgH mg mu 2 sin 2
2g 2 2g
1 1
(iii) Total energy = Kinetic energy + Potential energy mu 2 cos 2 mu 2 sin 2
2 2
1
= mu 2 = Energy at the point of projection.
2
This is in accordance with the law of conservation of energy.
