SACE Stage 2 Physics — Motion 1.1

Trajectory Explorer

A projectile moves freely under gravity. Its horizontal velocity stays constant while its vertical velocity changes at a steady rate — the two components are completely independent.

Mode

Launch speed m/s

Launch angle °

Key idea

Horizontal: no force acts, so v_h is constant. Vertical: gravity acts downward, so v_v decreases, reaches zero at the apex, then increases downward. Range is maximised at 45° — and complementary angles (e.g. 30° and 60°) give the same range.