Horizontal projectile motion vs Vertical projectile motion

Question

Hey everyone! 👋 Ever get confused between horizontal and vertical projectile motion in physics? 🤔 It's a common stumbling block, but don't worry, I'm here to break it down simply. Let's see the differences!

amy_reyes · Accepted Answer

📚 Projectile Motion: Horizontal vs. Vertical
Projectile motion is the motion of an object thrown or projected into the air, subject only to the acceleration of gravity.  We often analyze it in two separate components: horizontal and vertical.

➡️ Definition of Horizontal Projectile Motion
Horizontal projectile motion occurs when an object is projected horizontally, meaning it has an initial horizontal velocity but no initial vertical velocity. Think of a ball rolling off the edge of a table.

⬆️ Definition of Vertical Projectile Motion
Vertical projectile motion involves an object projected upwards or downwards, experiencing constant acceleration due to gravity.  Imagine throwing a ball straight up into the air.

🆚 Horizontal vs. Vertical Projectile Motion: A Comparison

Feature
      Horizontal Projectile Motion
      Vertical Projectile Motion

Initial Vertical Velocity
      Zero ($v_{0y} = 0$)
      Non-zero ($v_{0y} 
eq 0$)

Horizontal Velocity
      Constant (neglecting air resistance)
      No horizontal velocity component

Vertical Acceleration
      Constant and downwards, due to gravity ($g = 9.8 m/s^2$)
      Constant and downwards, due to gravity ($g = 9.8 m/s^2$)

Trajectory
      Half of a parabola
      Upward and downward path along a vertical line

Key Equations
      Horizontal: $x = v_{0x}t$Vertical: $y = v_{0y}t + \frac{1}{2}gt^2$
      $v = v_0 + gt$$y = v_0t + \frac{1}{2}gt^2$$v^2 = v_0^2 + 2gy$

🔑 Key Takeaways

📐 Trajectory: Horizontal projectile motion follows a half-parabola, while vertical projectile motion is a straight line up and down.
   🧭 Initial Velocity: Horizontal projectile motion has only an initial horizontal velocity, while vertical projectile motion has an initial vertical velocity.
   ⏱️ Time: The time it takes for an object in horizontal projectile motion to hit the ground depends on the initial height and gravity. For vertical, it depends on initial velocity and gravity.
   🍎 Gravity: Gravity affects the vertical motion in both cases, causing constant downward acceleration.
   💡 Independence: The horizontal and vertical components of motion are independent of each other.

Horizontal projectile motion vs Vertical projectile motion

1 Answers

📚 Projectile Motion: Horizontal vs. Vertical

➡️ Definition of Horizontal Projectile Motion

⬆️ Definition of Vertical Projectile Motion

🆚 Horizontal vs. Vertical Projectile Motion: A Comparison

🔑 Key Takeaways

Join the discussion

Feature	Horizontal Projectile Motion	Vertical Projectile Motion
Initial Vertical Velocity	Zero ($v_{0y} = 0$)	Non-zero ($v_{0y} \neq 0$)
Horizontal Velocity	Constant (neglecting air resistance)	No horizontal velocity component
Vertical Acceleration	Constant and downwards, due to gravity ($g = 9.8 m/s^2$)	Constant and downwards, due to gravity ($g = 9.8 m/s^2$)
Trajectory	Half of a parabola	Upward and downward path along a vertical line
Key Equations	Horizontal: $x = v_{0x}t$ Vertical: $y = v_{0y}t + \frac{1}{2}gt^2$	$v = v_0 + gt$ $y = v_0t + \frac{1}{2}gt^2$ $v^2 = v_0^2 + 2gy$