Motion you can see

why does a thrown ball follow a curved path

Once something leaves your hand, it keeps moving forward while also being pulled downward, and those two motions combine into a smooth arc. The forward part stays steady, but the downward pull grows the longer it flies, which bends the path into the curve you see. This course builds that picture step by step so you can predict where a launched object lands.

what makes one object fly farther than another when thrown the same way

The angle you launch at and the speed you give it both change how far something travels, and there's a launch angle that reaches the farthest for a given speed. Too flat and it hits the ground early; too steep and it goes up more than out. We take these apart one at a time so you can see how each choice moves the landing spot.

how do you figure out where a launched object will land

You split the motion into two parts: how fast it goes sideways, which stays constant, and how it falls, which speeds up over time. Track how long it stays in the air, and the sideways part tells you the distance. Working through real launches is exactly how this course gets you comfortable making that prediction.

does a heavier object fall faster than a light one

Set aside air resistance and the surprising answer is no — things speed up toward the ground at the same rate regardless of weight. A heavy ball and a light one dropped together reach the floor together. Seeing this for yourself is one of the first ideas we launch into.

what is the difference between how high something goes and how far it travels

Height depends on how much of your launch pushes upward against the downward pull, while distance depends on how much pushes forward and how long the object stays up. The same throw can be tuned toward one or the other by changing its angle. We treat these as separate dials you can adjust and watch the results.