SAI Introduction to Projectile Motion

significant figure rules §

1. always give answers to 3 significant figures.
2. always provide a direction and the appropriate units.
3. for estimates: answers are to 2 significant figures ONLY
4. always provide a diagram.

what is a projectile §

• a projectile is any-body that is given an initial velocity and then follows a path determined entirely by the effects of gravitational acceleration and air resistance.
• trajectory: the path followed by a projectile is called its trajectory.
• range: the range refers to the total horizontal distance covered by the projectile from its initial launch till its landing.

range §

• range is the horizontal distance a projectile can travel.

free body diagrams with air resistance §

• its goofy
• the air resistance -> is opposite the direction of motion.
• at maximum height it is <-