Projectiles Launched at an Angle

Now that you have taken a look at horizontal projectiles, it is time to look at projectiles that are launched at an angle.

A quarterback completing a forward pass, a soccer player scoring a goal, an outfielder catching a fly ball or a tennis player scoring an ace are all applications of projectile motion.  In each, a projectile is launched at an angle, flies through the air in a parabolic arc and eventually reaches the ground some distance away.  The flight path depends on several factors, primarily the initial velocity and the launch angle.   These factors are not consciously considered by the athlete, they have become instinctual from experience and years of practice.

Essential Questions:

• How is the analysis of projectile motion different when the initial velocity is not horizontal?
  • What factors affect the time of flight?