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These phases include the run up, the take off, the flight, and the landing (Figure 3). When looking at the long jump, it is most typically divided up into four phases. (Check out the Take Off phase for more information.) Knowing this, we can be sure that the shape of the path of trajectory of the long jumper will be a parabola that is affected by many different variables.
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We also know for a fact that the vertical velocity of the jumper is always going to be getting more negative. Since inertia will keep the object moving through the air at a constant rate unless it is acted upon, we know for a fact that the horizontal velocity isn't going to change once the jumper leaves the ground. The force exerted by gravity is -9.81m/s 2. This means that the acceleration of the motion of the projectile is the the same as the object rises and falls. Because there is no air resistance, gravity is the only force acting on the jumper while he is in the air. This is what we call uniformly accelerated motion (Figure 2). One thing we must know about projectiles before we start is the path that projectiles follow is a prescribed path through the air, if there are no outside forces (such as air resistance or drag) acting on the projectiles.
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