Physics

Projectile Motion

36 Questions

Projectile motion involves the movement of an object thrown into the air, subject to gravity. These questions cover horizontal range, time of flight, and trajectory calculations. This topic is crucial for various competitive exams requiring a strong foundation in physics.

Time of flightHorizontal rangeAngle of projectionVertical projectionVelocity components

Projectile Motion Questions

Multiple choice general knowledge science & technology

a projectile will attain maximum height when thrown at _ degrees with the vertical. choose correct option.

  1. 90

  2. 45

  3. 60

  4. 0
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

When measured from the vertical, 0 degrees means the projectile is launched straight up. This gives maximum vertical height since all initial velocity is in the vertical direction. At 90 degrees from vertical (i.e., horizontal), the projectile has no vertical component and achieves zero height.

Multiple choice general knowledge science & technology

A PROJECTILE ATTAINS MAXIMUM RANGE WHEN THROWN AT __ DEGREE WIT THE VERTICAL.

  1. 0

  2. 30

  3. 45

  4. 60
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The maximum horizontal range of a projectile is achieved when it is launched at 45 degrees from the horizontal (or 45 degrees from the vertical). At this angle, the sine and cosine components of the initial velocity are equal, optimizing the product sin(2θ) in the range equation R = (v²sin(2θ))/g. This gives the theoretical maximum range in projectile motion.

Multiple choice general knowledge science & technology

Assume that there is no gravity then a projectile thrown at an angle of 45 degree with the horizontal means....

  1. a straight line motion of ball with equation x-y=0

  2. a straight line motion of ball with equation x+y=0

  3. a circular motion of ball in x-y plane

  4. none of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Without gravity, a projectile launched at 45° has equal initial horizontal and vertical velocity components (vx = v₀cos45°, vy = v₀sin45°). With no acceleration, both components remain constant and equal, so x = y at all times. This gives x - y = 0 as the equation of the straight-line path in the x-y plane. The motion is linear, not circular, and x + y = 0 would mean x = -y, which is incorrect.

Multiple choice general knowledge science & technology

A projectile is thrown at some angle with respect to earth with some initial velocity. The trajectory of the projectile is best represented as ___.

  1. straight line

  2. parabola

  3. hyperbola

  4. circle
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Under uniform gravitational acceleration (neglecting air resistance), a projectile follows a parabolic path. The horizontal velocity remains constant while vertical velocity changes linearly due to gravity, creating a parabolic trajectory.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the best revision for the underlined part in the given sentence.

A pole-vaulter's pole bends when grounded and then straightens with explosive force, throwing the athlete up as if he was hurled from a catapult.

  1. throwing the athlete up as if he was hurled from a catapult

  2. and the athlete is thrown up as if he was hurled from a catapult

  3. and as if he was hurled from a catapult, the athlete is thrown up

  4. which throws the athlete up as if he were hurled from a catapult

  5. throwing the athlete up as if he had been hurled from a catapult
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Since the athlete is not actually hurled from a catapult, the use of 'was' is incorrect and should be replaced with 'were'.

Multiple choice

The horizontal range of a projectile is R and the maximum height attained by it is H. A strong wind now begins to blow in the direction of motion of the projectile, giving it a constant horizontal acceleration = g/2. Under the same conditions of projection, find the horizontal range of the projectile.

  1. R + H

  2. R + 2H

  3. R

  4. R + (H)/2

  5. 2R
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

R = (2 u2 Sin θ Cos θ)/gH = (u Sin θ)2/ 2gT = (2 u Sin θ)/g(Time of flight = t) Now when wind blows in horizontal direction R (new) = u Cos θ*t + 1/2 (g/2) t2 (Applying equation of motion) R (new) = (2 u2 Sin θ Cos θ)/g + (g/4) (4 u2 Sin2θ)/g2 Solving we get R (new) = R + (u2 Sin2θ)/g R (new) = R + 2H (Answer)

Multiple choice

A ball is projected from a certain point on the surface of a planet at a certain angle with the horizontal surface. The horizontal and vertical displacements x and y vary with time t in second as: x = 10√3 t, y = 10t -t2, the maximum height attained by the particle is_________.

  1. 125 m

  2. 75 m

  3. 100 m

  4. 25 m

  5. 12.5 m
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Differentiating y with respect to time and putting it to 0, 10 - 2t = 0t = 5 s Now after 5 s, it will attain maximum height as (dy/dt = v =0) at maximum height (Vertical component)putting value of t = 5 s in y,  y = 50 -25 = 25 m (Correct Answer)

Multiple choice

Two balls are moving on the same smooth horizontal plane. Their velocity components along one edge of a square plane are 10√3 m.s-1 and 20 m.s-1 respectively. Their velocity components along a perpendicular edge are 30 m.s-1 and 20 m.s-1. Find the angle between their directions of motion.

  1. 60°

  2. 30°

  3. 15°

  4. 45°

  5. 90°
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Taking ball 1, Velocity along let say x direction = 10√3 m.s-1 Velocity along y direction = 30 m.s-1  Resultant velocity is 20√3 m.s-1 at an angle of 60 degrees with x direction (tan x = 30/10√3) x = 60 degrees Similarly for second ball resultant is = 20√2 m.s-1 at an angle of 45 degrees. (tan x = 20/20 = 1) x =45 degrees So, the angle between their directions of motion is 60 - 45 = 15 degrees (Correct Answer)

Multiple choice

If a body is projected vertically up, its time of flight is

  1. proportional to initial velocity

  2. proportional to square of the initial velocity

  3. proportional to inverse of initial velocity

  4. proportional to inverse of square of initial velcoity
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Time of flight T = 2u/g,  u is the initial velocity. Hence the answer is option (1)