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A hands-on way to see projectile motion instead of just calculating it. Set the launch angle, initial velocity and launch height, then watch the trajectory, the constant horizontal velocity and the changing vertical velocity play out — with the range, maximum height and time of flight (and their formulas) updating live. It teaches the single most important idea in the topic: horizontal and vertical motion are independent, linked only by the time in the air. Modelled with g = 9.81 m/s² and no air resistance, matching the IGCSE 0625 examinable case.
Model: constant gravitational field g = 9.81 m/s², no air resistance (CAIE 0625 §1.2 / IB A.1). Values are computed in full precision and rounded for display. Educational tool — a guide for understanding, not a substitute for exam practice.
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Last updated: July 2026
Independent components, the key formulas, and what this tool covers.
Projectile motion is the curved path an object follows when it is launched into the air and then moves under gravity alone. The horizontal and vertical motions are independent: the horizontal velocity stays constant (no horizontal force in the no-air-resistance model), while the vertical velocity changes steadily because gravity pulls the object down at g = 9.81 m/s². Combining the two gives the familiar parabola.
Split the launch velocity into components vₓ = v·cosθ and v_y = v·sinθ. From a launch height h, the object reaches the ground after t = (v_y + √(v_y² + 2gh)) ⁄ g. The horizontal range is R = vₓ · t, and the maximum height is H = h + v_y²⁄(2g). When the launch height is zero these reduce to the standard results R = v²·sin(2θ)⁄g and H = v²·sin²θ⁄(2g). The simulator computes all of these live as you move the sliders.
On level ground the range is R = v²·sin(2θ)⁄g. The term sin(2θ) is largest when 2θ = 90°, that is when θ = 45°, so a 45-degree launch maximises the range for a given speed. It also explains why complementary angles such as 30° and 60° produce exactly the same range — a pattern you can confirm directly in the simulator.
By default, no — air resistance is turned off, which matches the Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 examinable model and keeps the analytic formulas valid. There is an optional "air resistance" toggle clearly labelled as beyond IGCSE: it applies a simple numerical drag model so you can see qualitatively how drag shortens the range and lowers the peak. The syllabus formulas shown always assume no air resistance.
It maps to Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 topic 1.2 (motion — speed, velocity, acceleration and motion under gravity) and to IB Physics topic A.1 (kinematics, including projectile motion). It is a visual companion for understanding independent horizontal and vertical motion, velocity components and the shape of a trajectory.
Kinematics rewards clear method — resolving vectors into components, choosing the right equation of motion and keeping directions consistent. A GetYourTutors physics specialist who comes to your home in Dubai can work through past-paper projectile questions step by step, pinpoint where marks are being lost and build the confidence to handle unfamiliar setups in the exam.