Ballistic trajectory

Storyboard

If an object is thrown or fired in a gravitational field, it undergoes two types of motion:

• In the vertical axis, it moves due to the gravitational field, experiencing gravitational acceleration. For low-height trajectories, this acceleration can be considered constant.

• In the horizontal axis, assuming air resistance is negligible, the object moves at a constant velocity because there is no force to accelerate or decelerate it.

The result is what is known as a ballistic trajectory, which achieves its maximum range when thrown or fired at a 45-degree angle.

>Model

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Mechanisms

Concept

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Code
Concept

Mechanisms

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Vision in the Middle Ages

Concept

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During the Middle Ages, when observing the flight of a cannonball, a curve was drawn that showed a steep ascent followed by an almost vertical drop, as seen in the image:

However, by analyzing the equations of kinematics, it is known that the actual trajectory of the cannonball is very different. In fact, it is a parabola that is produced by the combination of vertical motion caused by gravity and constant horizontal motion.

In other words, the time that the ball remains in the air is determined by its vertical motion, while the distance traveled in the horizontal direction is determined by its horizontal velocity.

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The ballistic trajectory

Concept

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The ballistic trajectory typically follows an inverted parabola with a point of the maximum height reached ($y_{max}$) and ($$) with the maximum height time ($t_{max}$) and the time to impact ($t_{imp}$):

Note: Strictly speaking, the components should be estimated based on their values at ground level to accurately determine the parameters of the maximum height and impact point.

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Model

Concept

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Variables

Symbol
Text
Variables
Units
$h$
h
Height at which to shoot
m
$v_{0x}$
v_0x
Initial horizontal speed
m/s
$v_{0y}$
v_0y
Initial vertical speed
m/s
$x_{imp}$
x_imp
Maximum distance reached
m
$y_{max}$
y_max
Maximum height reached
m
$\phi$
phi
Maximum height reached
rad
$t_{max}$
t_max
Maximum height time
s
$x$
x
Position on the x-axis
m
$y$
y
Position on the y-axis
m
$t$
t
Time
s
$t_{imp}$
t_imp
Time to impact
s

Parameters

Symbol
Text
Variables
Units
$g$
g
Gravitational Acceleration
m/s^2
$v_0$
v_0
Initial Speed
m/s


Selected parameter

Symbol
Variables
Value
Units
MKS Value
MKS Units

Calculations

Symbol
Equation
Solved
Translated

Equation

#
Equation

$ t_{imp} =\displaystyle\frac{ v_0 \sin \phi }{ g }\left(1+\sqrt{1+\displaystyle\frac{ 2 g h }{ v_0 ^2 \sin^2 \phi }}\right)$

t_imp = v_0 *sin( phi )*(1+sqrt(1+2* g * h /(v_0 ^2*sin( phi )^2)))/ g


$ t_{max} =\displaystyle\frac{ v_0 }{ g }\sin \phi $

t_max = v_0 *sin( phi )/ g


$ v_{0x} = v_0 \cos \phi $

v_0x = v_0 *cos( phi )


$ v_{0y} = v_0 \sin \phi $

v_0y = v_0 *sin( phi )


$ x = v_{0x} t $

x = v_0x * t


$ x_{imp} =\displaystyle\frac{ v_0 ^2\sin \phi \cos \phi }{ g }\left(1 + \sqrt{1 + \displaystyle\frac{2 g h }{ v_0 ^2\sin^2 \phi }}\right) $

x_imp = v_0 ^2*sin( phi )*cos( phi )*(1+sqrt(1+2* g * h /( v_0 ^2*sin( phi )^2)))/ g


$ y = h + v_{0y} t -\displaystyle\frac{1}{2} g t ^2$

y = h + v_0y * t - g * t ^2/2


$ y_{max} = h + \displaystyle\frac{ v_0 ^2}{2 g }\sin^2 \phi $

y_max = h + v_0 ^2*sin( phi )^2/(2* g )

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Horizontal speed

Equation

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If a point mass moves with ($$) and is fired downward ($$) with respect to the surface, then its the initial horizontal speed ($v_{0x}$) will be equal to:

$ v_{0x} = v_0 \cos \phi $

$v_{0x}$
Initial horizontal speed
$m/s$
$v_0$
Initial Speed
$m/s$
$\phi$
Maximum height reached
$rad$

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Vertical speed

Equation

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If a point mass moves with ($$) and is fired downward ($$) with respect to the surface, then its the initial vertical speed ($v_{0y}$) will be equal to:

$ v_{0y} = v_0 \sin \phi $

$v_0$
Initial Speed
$m/s$
$v_{0y}$
Initial vertical speed
$m/s$
$\phi$
Maximum height reached
$rad$

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Horizontal distance traveled

Equation

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The object cycles through a time ($t$) to a initial horizontal speed ($v_{0x}$) A position on the x-axis ($x$) equal to

$ x = v_{0x} t $

$v_{0x}$
Initial horizontal speed
$m/s$
$x$
Position on the x-axis
$m$
$t$
Time
$s$

The position ($s$) traveled with the constant velocity ($v_0$) with the starting position ($s_0$), the time ($t$), and the start Time ($t_0$) is

$ s = s_0 + v_0 ( t - t_0 )$



Therefore, if the motion starts at the origin ($s_0=0$) at the beginning of time ($t_0=0$), the motion is described by $x=s$ and $v_0=v_{0x}$.

$ x = v_{0x} t $

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Vertical height reached

Equation

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An object takes off in the terrestrial field with a velocity of the gravitational Acceleration ($g$), at an angle of ($$), and will reach ($$) at ($$).

$ y = h + v_{0y} t -\displaystyle\frac{1}{2} g t ^2$

$g$
Gravitational Acceleration
9.8
$m/s^2$
$h$
Height at which to shoot
$m$
$v_{0y}$
Initial vertical speed
$m/s$
$y$
Position on the y-axis
$m$
$t$
Time
$s$

For the case where constant Acceleration ($a_0$) equals gravitational acceleration ($a_0=-g$), the vertical trajectory can be calculated using the equation for the position ($s$) with the starting position ($s_0$), the initial Speed ($v_0$), the time ($t$), and the start Time ($t_0$):

$ s = s_0 + v_0 ( t - t_0 )+\displaystyle\frac{1}{2} a_0 ( t - t_0 )^2$



In the scenario where the motion starts at the height at which to shoot ($h$) ($s_0=h$), the start Time ($t_0$) ($t_0=0$), and the initial vertical speed ($v_{0y}$) ($v_0=v_{0y}$) are given, the motion can be described by the formula:

$ y = h + v_{0y} t -\displaystyle\frac{1}{2} g t ^2$



Note: If you want the target to be at a higher point than the cannon, a negative ($$) should be used for the angle.

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Impact time

Equation

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If an object moves with a velocity of a initial Speed ($v_0$) and is fired at an angle of a maximum height reached ($\phi$) relative to the surface, the time to impact ($t_{imp}$) can be calculated using the gravitational Acceleration ($g$) and the height at which to shoot ($h$):

$ t_{imp} =\displaystyle\frac{ v_0 \sin \phi }{ g }\left(1+\sqrt{1+\displaystyle\frac{ 2 g h }{ v_0 ^2 \sin^2 \phi }}\right)$

$g$
Gravitational Acceleration
9.8
$m/s^2$
$h$
Height at which to shoot
$m$
$v_0$
Initial Speed
$m/s$
$\phi$
Maximum height reached
$rad$
$t_{imp}$
Time to impact
$s$

To determine the impact time, we can use the equation of the position on the y-axis ($y$), which depends on the height at which to shoot ($h$), the initial vertical speed ($v_{0y}$), the gravitational Acceleration ($g$), and the time ($t$), where the height is zero:

$ y = h + v_{0y} t -\displaystyle\frac{1}{2} g t ^2$



This results in a time:

$t=\displaystyle\frac{ v_{y0} +\sqrt{ v_{0y} ^2 + 2 g h }}{g}$



With the initial Speed ($v_0$) and the maximum height reached ($\phi$):

$ v_{0y} = v_0 \sin \phi $



the time to impact ($t_{imp}$) is:

$ t_{imp} =\displaystyle\frac{ v_0 \sin \phi }{ g }\left(1+\sqrt{1+\displaystyle\frac{ 2 g h }{ v_0 ^2 \sin^2 \phi }}\right)$

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Impact distance

Equation

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If an object moves with a velocity of ($$) and is fired at an angle of ($$) relative to the surface, the gravitational Acceleration ($g$) and the height at which to shoot ($h$) can be calculated using the following formula:

$ x_{imp} =\displaystyle\frac{ v_0 ^2\sin \phi \cos \phi }{ g }\left(1 + \sqrt{1 + \displaystyle\frac{2 g h }{ v_0 ^2\sin^2 \phi }}\right) $

$g$
Gravitational Acceleration
9.8
$m/s^2$
$h$
Height at which to shoot
$m$
$v_0$
Initial Speed
$m/s$
$x_{imp}$
Maximum distance reached
$m$
$\phi$
Maximum height reached
$rad$

Since the time to impact ($t_{imp}$) with the initial Speed ($v_0$), the maximum height reached ($\phi$), the gravitational Acceleration ($g$), and the height at which to shoot ($h$) is

$ t_{imp} =\displaystyle\frac{ v_0 \sin \phi }{ g }\left(1+\sqrt{1+\displaystyle\frac{ 2 g h }{ v_0 ^2 \sin^2 \phi }}\right)$



then the position on the x-axis ($x$) with the initial horizontal speed ($v_{0x}$) and the time ($t$)

$ x = v_{0x} t $



and the initial horizontal speed ($v_{0x}$) with the initial Speed ($v_0$) and the maximum height reached ($\phi$)

$ v_{0x} = v_0 \cos \phi $



thus, we have

$ x_{imp} =\displaystyle\frac{ v_0 ^2\sin \phi \cos \phi }{ g }\left(1 + \sqrt{1 + \displaystyle\frac{2 g h }{ v_0 ^2\sin^2 \phi }}\right) $

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Maximum height time

Equation

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If an object moves with a velocity of the initial Speed ($v_0$) and is fired at an angle of ($$) with respect to the surface, the height at which it will reach its the maximum height reached ($y_{max}$) can be calculated as follows:

$ t_{max} =\displaystyle\frac{ v_0 }{ g }\sin \phi $

$g$
Gravitational Acceleration
9.8
$m/s^2$
$v_0$
Initial Speed
$m/s$
$\phi$
Maximum height reached
$rad$
$t_{max}$
Maximum height time
$s$

The maximum height time ($t_{max}$) is reached when the position on the y-axis ($y$) reaches a maximum value. This height can be calculated with the height at which to shoot ($h$), the initial vertical speed ($v_{0y}$), the gravitational Acceleration ($g$), and the time ($t$),

$ y = h + v_{0y} t -\displaystyle\frac{1}{2} g t ^2$



whose derivative with respect to time is zero at the maximum, implying:

$\displaystyle\frac{dy}{dt}=v_{0,y}-gt=0$



Therefore, with the expression for the initial Speed ($v_0$),

$ v_{0y} = v_0 \sin \phi $



we have that

$ t_{max} =\displaystyle\frac{ v_0 }{ g }\sin \phi $

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Maximum height

Equation

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If the target is at a distance of the initial Speed ($v_0$) and is fired from an altitude of ($$) relative to the surface, with a velocity of the gravitational Acceleration ($g$), then the height it will reach, the maximum height reached ($y_{max}$), can be calculated as:

$ y_{max} = h + \displaystyle\frac{ v_0 ^2}{2 g }\sin^2 \phi $

$g$
Gravitational Acceleration
9.8
$m/s^2$
$h$
Height at which to shoot
$m$
$v_0$
Initial Speed
$m/s$
$y_{max}$
Maximum height reached
$m$
$\phi$
Maximum height reached
$rad$

The maximum height reached ($y_{max}$) is reached in a maximum height time ($t_{max}$) with the maximum height reached ($\phi$), the constant velocity ($v_0$), and the gravitational Acceleration ($g$),

$ t_{max} =\displaystyle\frac{ v_0 }{ g }\sin \phi $



from which we can determine the position on the y-axis ($y$) with the height at which to shoot ($h$), the initial vertical speed ($v_{0y}$), and the time ($t$) using the equation

$ y = h + v_{0y} t -\displaystyle\frac{1}{2} g t ^2$



Thus, with the initial vertical speed ($v_{0y}$),

$ v_{0y} = v_0 \sin \phi $



at the maximum height reached ($y_{max}$), it is

$ y_{max} = h + \displaystyle\frac{ v_0 ^2}{2 g }\sin^2 \phi $

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