20 Physics -- Kinematics

A projectile moves in a parabolic path without air resistance. Is there any point at which acceleration is i. parallel to the velocity? ii. Perpendicular to the velocity?

A projectile moves in a parabolic path without air resistance. Is there any point at which acceleration is i. parallel to the velocity? ii. Perpendicular to the velocity?

Since the horizontal component of the velocity u of such a projectile is constant, there is no acceleration in this direction. So the acceleration of the projectile is taking place in the vertical direction. The acceleration is parallel or anti-parallel to the vertical component of u and hence there is no point at which the acceleration is parallel to u. At the maximum height, the vertical component of u is zero but u is horizontal. So the acceleration is perpendicular to u at the maximum height.

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