Motion in a Gravitational Field: projectiles, energy and drag
H2 Physics lessons on weight, projectile components, gravitational potential energy, air resistance and terminal velocity.
Learning goals
- Relate weight and gravitational potential energy changes in a uniform gravitational field.
- Analyse projectile motion by separating perpendicular components.
- Explain falling motion with air resistance using forces, energy and terminal velocity.
Before you begin
Work through the lessons in order. Each one explains the idea, models the reasoning and gives you a chance to practise before the topic check.
Be comfortable with: Kinematics GraphsEnergy & Fields
How the ideas connect
- Weight and perpendicular motion
- Uniform-field potential energy
- Falling with air resistance
Learn in order
Lesson route
Lessons
Further lessons
Check your understanding
Practice and check
Key ideas and reference
Use this Motion in a Gravitational Field: projectiles, energy and drag overview to choose the lesson you need. Definitions, diagrams, worked examples and practice are inside each lesson.
- Weight and perpendicular motion
- Uniform-field potential energy
- Falling with air resistance
Syllabus and review details
Treat horizontal and vertical motion separately, then connect them through their shared time. In the ideal model, air resistance is negligible and gravitational acceleration is uniform; questions about drag must state that a resistive force is present.
Use written calculations, explanations and diagrams as well as the short topic check. Exam questions often combine several of these skills.
Checked against the 2027 syllabus
Course and syllabus information
- Course
- GCE A-Level H2 Physics
- Edition
- GCE A-Level H2 Physics 2027