Projectile facts for kids

Paths of three objects thrown at the same angle (70°) but at different speeds.

This huge projectile was used in World War II by a giant cannon called Schwerer Gustav. Many projectile weapons use the force of expanding gases to launch their projectiles.

A projectile is any object that is thrown, shot, or launched into the air. It moves through the air or space because of a force applied to it. Think of an arrow shot from a bow, a bullet fired from a gun, or even a rock thrown from a slingshot. All of these are projectiles!

People have used projectile weapons for thousands of years. Early examples include bows and slingshots, which were important tools for hunting and fighting long ago. Today, most countries use modern projectile weapons instead of close-range weapons like swords. This is because modern weapons like guns, rocket launchers, and artillery cannons can shoot very far. They are also usually more powerful than older close-combat weapons.

What is a Projectile?

A projectile is simply an object that is sent flying. It could be a ball kicked in a game, a javelin thrown by an athlete, or a missile launched from a ship. The key idea is that it's not powered by itself once it leaves the source. It travels through the air or space, following a path determined by gravity and air resistance.

How Projectiles Move

The study of how projectiles move is called Ballistics. When a projectile is launched, it follows a curved path. This path is called its trajectory. Gravity pulls the projectile downwards, while air resistance slows it down. The faster a projectile is launched, and the higher the angle it's fired at (up to a certain point), the farther it will travel.

Types of Projectiles

Projectiles come in many forms, depending on their purpose.

Weapons

Many projectiles are designed as weapons.

• Bullets: These are small metal projectiles fired from guns.
• Arrows: Used with bows, arrows have a sharp point and feathers to help them fly straight.
• Cannonballs: Large, heavy spheres once fired from cannons, now mostly replaced by more advanced artillery shells.
• Missiles: These are often self-propelled for part of their flight, but once their engines stop, they become projectiles.
• Rockets: Similar to missiles, rockets can carry payloads and become projectiles after their fuel runs out.

Sports and Games

Projectiles are also common in sports and games.

• Balls: In sports like baseball, basketball, soccer, and tennis, the ball is a projectile.
• Darts: Thrown by hand, darts are small projectiles used in the game of darts.
• Frisbees: These spinning discs are a fun type of projectile.

Images for kids

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  A projectile being fired from an artillery piece