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Projectile Motion and Fluid Mechanics

Flight paths and vector components of projectiles

  • 3 things to know
  • Paper 2

Overview

Parabolic and non-parabolic flight paths, forces on a shot and a shuttle, free body diagrams, and the horizontal and vertical components of velocity.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

How do the horizontal and vertical components of a shot's velocity behave during flight?

Key term

Describe a parabolic flight path.

Key term

Name the two forces that act on a projectile in flight.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Describe a parabolic flight path.

    Model answer

    A parabolic flight path is a symmetrical curve, with the same shape either side of the highest point. A projectile follows a parabola when weight is the dominant force.

  2. 2

    Name the two forces that act on a projectile in flight.

    Model answer

    Weight acts vertically downwards throughout the flight. Air resistance acts in the opposite direction to the projectile's motion.

  3. 3

    Describe the flight path of a shot put.

    Model answer

    A shot follows a near-parabolic flight path. The shot's large mass makes weight far greater than air resistance, so air resistance has little effect.

  4. 4

    How would the forces on a shot in flight be shown on a free body diagram?

    Model answer

    A long weight arrow points down from the centre of mass. A very short air resistance arrow points opposite to the direction of motion.

  5. 5

    Describe the flight path of a badminton shuttle hit high and hard in a clear.

    Model answer

    The shuttle follows a non-parabolic, asymmetric flight path. The shuttle travels fast and high at first, then drops steeply as air resistance removes its horizontal velocity.

  6. 6

    Why does air resistance dominate a shuttle's flight?

    Model answer

    The shuttle has a very small mass, so its weight is small. The feathered skirt gives a large cross-sectional area and high air resistance, especially at high speed.

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