When a projectile is launched horizontally from a certain height, it undergoes two types of motion simultaneously: horizontal and vertical. Here's what happens:

1. Horizontal Motion:

   • The projectile has an initial horizontal velocity.
   • There is no horizontal acceleration (assuming no air resistance), so the horizontal velocity remains constant throughout the motion.

2. Vertical Motion:

   • The projectile starts with zero vertical velocity.
   • It is under the influence of gravity, which causes a constant downward acceleration at approximately $9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2$ (on Earth).
   • The vertical velocity increases linearly as the object falls.

3. Trajectory:

   • The combination of constant horizontal motion and accelerated vertical motion results in a curved path, known as a parabola.
   • The projectile follows this parabolic trajectory until it hits the ground.

4. Impact Time:

   • The time it takes for the projectile to hit the ground depends only on the height from which it was launched, not on the horizontal velocity.
   • This time can be calculated using the formula $t = \sqrt{\frac{2h}{g}}$, where $h$ is the height and $g$ is the acceleration due to gravity.

5. Range:

   • The horizontal distance traveled by the projectile (called the range) depends on the initial horizontal velocity and the time of flight.
   • Range $R = v_x \times t$, where $v_x$ is the horizontal velocity and $t$ is the time of flight.

6. Final Velocity:

   • The final velocity of the projectile just before impact is the vector sum of its horizontal and vertical velocities at that moment.

In summary, a horizontally launched projectile will move in a parabolic path due to the combination of constant horizontal motion and increasing vertical motion under gravity.

Would you like more details on any of these aspects or have any questions?

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Here are 8 related questions you might consider:

1. How do you calculate the time of flight for a horizontally launched projectile?
2. What happens to the range if the initial horizontal velocity is doubled?
3. How does air resistance affect the motion of a horizontally launched projectile?
4. Can a projectile ever have a straight-line trajectory?
5. How do you calculate the final velocity of the projectile just before it hits the ground?
6. How does the height from which a projectile is launched affect its range?
7. What is the significance of the horizontal and vertical components in projectile motion?
8. How would the motion change if the projectile were launched at an angle instead of horizontally?

Tip: Remember, in projectile motion, horizontal and vertical motions are independent of each other. This principle simplifies analysis and problem-solving.