A projectile is a body which is propelled (or thrown) with some initial velocity, and then allowed to be acted upon by the forces of gravity and possible drag. The maximum upward distance h reached by the projectile is called the height, the horizontal distance traveled x the range (or sometimes distance), and the path of the object is called its trajectory. If a body is allowed to free-fall under gravity and is acted upon by the drag of air resistance, it reaches a maximum downward velocity known as the terminal velocity. The study of the motion of projectiles is called ballistics.
Ballistics, Distance, Height, Range, Terminal Velocity, Trajectory
References
O'Hanian, H. C. "The Motion of Projectiles." §4.3 in Physics, Vol. 1. New York: W. W. Norton, pp. 71-76, 1985.
