1. Graphing the Path of a Projectile- “GRAPHED PATH”
Let’s graph the path a ball takes when it is kicked horizontally of a cliff 80 m high at 10 m/s.
How long does it take the ball the reach the ground?
d = vit + ½ at2
d = ½ at2 2 2 a a
t2 = 2d a
t = 4 s

2. t (s)
dx (m)
dy (m)
vx (m/s)
vy (m/s)
v (m/s)

3. Now we need to fill information into this data table:
1. Horizontal velocity
doesn’t change a = 0
5. Resultant of
vx and vy
2. dx = vxt
4. d = vit + ½ at2
3. vfy = viy + ayt
t (s)
dx (m)
dy (m)
vx (m/s)
vy (m/s)
v (m/s) 10 10 1 10 -5 10
-10
14.14 2 20
-20 10
-20
22.36 3 30
-45 10
-30
31.62 4 40
-80 10
-40
41.23 vx
a2 + b2 = c2 vy v

4. Plotting all of this info on the graph can be tricky. Remember this:
These 2 columns are going
to be points on the graph.
These 3 columns are going
to be vector arrows
on the graph.
t (s)
dx (m)
dy (m)
vx (m/s)
vy (m/s)
v (m/s) 10 10 1 10 -5 10
-10
14.14 2 20
-20 10
-20
22.36 3 30
-45 10
-30
31.62 4 40
-80 10
-40
41.23
Graphing the path of the projectile needs to be a
scaled drawing. Assign a scale and use a ruler to
draw out vectors. Also use different colors for the
vx and vy vectors.
1 cm = 5 m/s

5. points
vectors
t (s)
dx (m)
dy (m)
vx (m/s)
vy (m/s)
v (m/s) 10 1 -5
-10
14.14 2 20
-20
22.36 3 30
-45
-30
31.62 4 40
-80
-40
41.23