Projectile Motion Lab

Year 12 Physics · Explore, predict and test
Created by Alex Sun · University of Auckland

NCEA past papers

Parameters and model notes

Predict before checking.

Select a trajectory point to inspect it.
0.00 s

Point projectile; icon not to scale. Diameter affects drag, not wall contact. Vectors of different quantities use different scales.

Motion graphs

— Horizontal component— Vertical component

Trial comparison

Model and equations

Without drag: x = vₓ₀t, y = h + vᵧ₀t − ½gt². With drag: Fᴅ = −½ρCᴅA|v|v, A = πd²/4, ρ = 1.225 exp(−altitude/8500). Density is fixed within each flight. No wind, spin or bounce. Wall and ceiling contact end the trajectory. A zero-thickness barrier checks height at one horizontal position. An elevated target is a reference point, not a collision surface. Object presets are illustrative, not measured specifications.

Python generates the resource and provides the no-drag reference calculation. Browser JavaScript recalculates live slider changes; drag uses fourth-order Runge–Kutta integration. CSV exports the current browser trial, including any slider changes.