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Physics vocabulary · Motion and Forces

Projectile motion

Meaning in physics, with examples

nounCommon term

In physics, projectile motion means: The motion of an object that is thrown or launched and then moves only under gravity, following a curved path. Its horizontal and vertical motions are treated separately.

In Turkish: eğik atış hareketi, atış hareketi

How it is used

In ideal problems you neglect air resistance, so the horizontal velocity is constant and the vertical acceleration is g downwards. The path is a parabola. Typical questions ask for the range, the maximum height and the time of flight.

Example sentences

  1. In projectile motion, the horizontal and vertical components are independent of each other.

  2. We filmed the ball and used the video to analyse its projectile motion.

Common collocations

  • range of a projectile
  • time of flight
  • maximum height
  • launch angle
  • horizontal projection
  • gravityThe attractive force that every mass exerts on every other mass. On Earth it pulls objects towards the centre of the planet and gives them weight.
  • velocityHow fast an object moves in a particular direction. It is speed with a direction, so it is a vector, measured in metres per second (m/s).
  • accelerationThe rate at which an object's velocity changes over time. It can mean speeding up, slowing down or changing direction, and it is measured in metres per second squared (m/s²).
  • resolveTo split a force or another vector into two parts at right angles to each other, usually horizontal and vertical, so that each direction can be dealt with separately.
  • neglectTo leave a small effect, such as air resistance or friction, out of a calculation on purpose because it makes little difference to the result.

More terms: Motion and Forces

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