How to Plot a Projectile’s Parabolic Path in Python – Step‑by‑Step Guide

Introduction

Hello, I am a Python enthusiast. A fan asked how to plot the parabolic trajectory generated during free‑fall motion when an object is thrown horizontally.

Idea

The solution hinges on two points: first, use the acceleration formula to compute the corresponding x and y coordinates in Python; second, plot these coordinate points.

Analysis

We define a list to store the object's coordinates. The total height can be set arbitrarily, and both horizontal and vertical positions are calculated using the relevant formulas. Each computed point is appended to the list, after which a plotting function draws the parabola.

Implementation

# coding: utf-8
from matplotlib import pyplot as plt

def pwx(v, h):
    yx = []  # 定义一列表
    # 物体从高处位置为点50米的地方
    g = 9.8
    height = 5  # 这个是常量每运行一行为5米
    hh = 5 * v  # 总高度
    for i in range(h):
        y = height
        height = y + 5
        x = int(v * (2 * y * (1 / 9.8)) ** 0.5)
        yx.append((hh, x))
        hh -= 5
    return yx

def huaxian(yx):
    plt.title("Parabolic trajectory curve")
    plt.xlabel("x")
    plt.ylabel("y")
    for y, x in yx:
        plt.plot(x, y, "*")
        print(y, x)
    plt.show()

def main():
    v = int(input("请输入初速度v:  "))
    h = int(input("请输入绘制行数h:  "))
    yx = pwx(v, h)
    huaxian(yx)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

Result

Running the script with an initial speed of 10 and 10 rows produces the following plot:

Matplotlib then displays a perfect parabolic curve:

Conclusion

The provided solution successfully generates the projectile’s parabolic trajectory using Python, answering the fan’s question and offering a solid foundation for further experimentation.