Multiple Choice
A projectile is launched horizontally from a height above the ground with an initial speed. What is the time it takes for the projectile to reach the ground (i.e., fall from height to the ground)?
5. Projectile Motion
Intro to Projectile Motion: Horizontal Launch
Multiple Choice
In ideal projectile motion (neglecting air resistance), an object launched horizontally will follow what type of path?
A
A parabolic path
B
A circular arc with constant radius
C
An elliptical path
D
A straight-line path at constant speed
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that in ideal projectile motion, the only force acting on the object after launch is gravity, which acts vertically downward.
Recognize that the horizontal velocity remains constant because there is no horizontal acceleration (neglecting air resistance).
Note that the vertical motion is uniformly accelerated motion due to gravity, causing the vertical velocity to increase linearly with time.
Combine the constant horizontal velocity and the uniformly accelerated vertical motion to describe the overall trajectory.
Conclude that the resulting path is a parabola, which is the characteristic shape of projectile motion under constant gravitational acceleration.
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