Question

A projectile is fired horizontally with a velocity u .Show that it follow a parabolic path.​

Answer 1

When a projectile is fired then it has velocity along both x-direction and y-direction.

At first body is moving with velocity and after reaching maximum height its final velocity becomes zero. Therefore, after reaching maximum height body tends to fall downward and acceleration due to gravity is acting in downward direction.

Using first equation of Motion,

v = u + gt

0 = u + gt

u = -gt

Differentiating both sides,

du/dt = -g dt/dt

du/dt = -g

Since, This shows that at starting body has some acceleration and velocity as well but after reaching maximum height its final velocity becomes zero and its acceleration becomes its velocity. Thus, we can say that this will form a parabola or it follows a parabolic path.