Enter the total change in position in the x-direction and the maximum height into the calculator to determine the launch velocity of a projectile.

Launch Velocity Formula

The following equation is used to calculate the Launch Velocity.

V = X * SQRT (g/2*H)
  • Where V is the launch velocity (m/s)
  • X is the change in x-direction (m)
  • H is the maximum height of the projectile (m)
  • g is the acceleration due to gravity (m/s^2)

To calculate launch velocity, multiply the change in horizontal distance by the square root of g over 2 times the height.

What is a Launch Velocity?

Definition:

A launch velocity describes the magnitude of the speed of an object or projectile being launched from the ground.

How to Calculate Launch Velocity?

Example Problem:

The following example outlines the steps and information needed to calculate Launch Velocity.

First, determine the change in the x-direction. In this example, the change in the x-direction is found to be 200m.

Next, determine the maximum height of the projectile. For this problem, the maximum height of the projectile is found to be 40m.

Finally, calculate the Launch Velocity using the formula above:

V = X * SQRT (g/2*H)

V = 200* SQRT (9.81/(2*40))

V = 70.03 m/s