Horizontal Velocity Component
Enter your known values, leave one input blank, and solves for the missing one. Try different units for next level excitement!
Learning zone
Every projectile problem starts by splitting the launch velocity into two independent pieces, and the horizontal one is v cos θ. With no air resistance nothing acts sideways, so vₓ never changes from launch to landing — the projectile drifts downrange at a fixed rate while gravity works only on the vertical component. Throw at 20 m/s and 60° above horizontal and vₓ = 20 × cos 60° = 10 m/s for the entire flight.
The classic trap is swapping sine and cosine. Anchor it with the extremes: at θ = 0° the throw is entirely horizontal and cos 0° = 1 keeps the whole speed, while at θ = 90° the throw is straight up and cos 90° = 0 leaves nothing moving sideways. Multiply vₓ by the time of flight and you have the range, which is exactly how the range formula is derived.
- = Horizontal velocity
- = Launch speed
- = Launch angle
- Horizontal velocity — Linear Momentum (p = mv), Power from Force and Velocity (P = Fv)
- Launch speed — Projectile Range on Level Ground, Projectile Maximum Height
- Launch angle — Projectile Range on Level Ground, Projectile Maximum Height