Projectile motion with air resistance in 3D

Direct answer

Compare the ideal parabola with a real 3D trajectory under air drag and side wind: range, height and time of flight.

The dashed path is the ideal parabola. Drag shortens the range and height, and the fall becomes steeper than the rise. A side wind pushes the ball out of the vertical plane.

Simulation

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Projectile Motion with Air Resistance (3D)

Kinematics

Launch speed (m/s) 25 m/s

Launch angle (°) 45°

Drag coefficient b (1/m) 0.01

Side wind (m/s) 0 m/s

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What's happening? The dashed path is the ideal parabola. Drag shortens the range and height, and the fall becomes steeper than the rise. A side wind pushes the ball out of the vertical plane.

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Where it is in NCERT: Class 11 Physics Part I, “Motion in a Straight Line” (Instantaneous velocity and speed, Acceleration, Kinematic equations for uniformly accelerated motion, Relative velocity); Class 11 Physics Part I, “Motion in a Plane” (Scalars and vectors, Motion in a plane with constant acceleration, Projectile motion, Relative velocity in two dimensions) · ncert.nic.in
Topic notes and formulas: Kinematics (Motion in 1D and 2D)
Printable formula sheet
Chapter-wise JEE Main PYQs (11)

Watch and try

The matching part of a free lecture: Projectile motion (5:37:27) — JEE Wallah
Other trusted simulations: Projectile Motion (PhET, University of Colorado) · Vector Addition (PhET, University of Colorado)