Free interactive tool
Projectile Motion Simulator
Speed and angle in, arc out — with range, peak height, and flight time live.
Launch and land on arithmetic
Set speed and angle; the arc, range, and flight time obey the constant-gravity equations.
Every projectile question hides the same two ideas: horizontal speed never changes, and gravity owns the vertical. The 45° maximum range is where the two split the budget evenly.
- Confirm that 30° and 60° land in the same place.
- Double the speed and watch what happens to the range — twice, or more?
Every projectile problem hides the same two ideas: horizontal speed never changes, and gravity owns the vertical. The arc, range, and hang time all follow from launch speed and angle.
Confirm the classics interactively: 45° maximizes range on flat ground, and 30° lands exactly where 60° does.
Why is 45 degrees optimal?
It splits the velocity budget evenly between distance-making and airtime; any other split shortens the product.
Does this include air resistance?
No — it's the ideal model taught in physics courses; real drag shortens and flattens the arc.