Grade 12 Physical Sciences · Mechanics · Paper 1 (Physics)

Vertical Projectile Motion Grade 12

Real Vertical Projectile Motion past paper questions and answers from 2023 to 2025, with each memo split into the ticks examiners give. Try one, mark yourself, and see exactly which skill cost you marks.

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Question 1.2 · November 2025 · Paper 1 · National (DBE) · 2 marks

Various options are provided as possible answers to the following questions. Each question has only ONE correct answer. Choose the answer and write only the letter (A–D) next to the question numbers (1.1 to 1.10) in the ANSWER BOOK, e.g. 1.11 E.

1.2 A hot-air balloon is moving upwards at a constant velocity. A small stone is dropped from THE BALLOON. Which ONE of the following graphs represents the motions of the balloon and the stone?

Ignore the effects of friction on the stone.(2) Diagram for question 1.2

A Graph A
B Graph B
C Graph C
D Graph D

Work it out on paper first. Then mark yourself with the official memo, one tick at a time.

Vertical Projectile Motion skills

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More Vertical Projectile Motion Grade 12 questions and answers

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4. Question 3.1 · May/June 2025 · Paper 1 · National (DBE) · 2 marks
A ball is dropped from point A and reaches point B h metres below point A, in time t. The ball takes $2$ s to fall from point B to point C on the ground. The distance from point B to point C is 8h metres. See the diagram below.

Ignore the effects of air friction.
3.1 Define the term free fall.(2)
Show the memo (1 tick)Memo
1. ✓
  Definition of free fallMotion under the influence of gravitational force only.
  OR
  Motion in which the only force acting is gravitational force.
  2 marks · Define vector and motion terms
5. Question 1.2 · November 2024 · Paper 1 · National (DBE) · 2 marks
1.2 A stone thrown vertically downwards from the top of a building takes t seconds to strike the ground. Consider the acceleration-time graph below for the motion of the stone.

The effects of air friction are ignored.

What does the shaded area between 0 and t seconds, shown in the graph, represent?(2)
1. A The final velocity of the stone
2. B The change in position of the stone
3. C The constant velocity of the stone
4. D The change in velocity of the stone
Show the memo (1 tick)Memo
1. ✓
  Correct optionThe area under an acceleration-time graph is acceleration $\times$ time $= a Δ t = Δ v$ , the change in velocity.
  
  A is the trap: the stone was thrown downwards, so it already had an initial velocity; the area gives only the change, not the final velocity. B (change in position) is the area under a velocity-time graph.
  
  Answer: D
  2 marks · Describe motion from graphs or words
6. Question 3.1.1 · November 2024 · Paper 1 · National (DBE) · 5 marks
Ball A is thrown vertically upwards at $12$ m·s $^{- 1}$ from the top of a building. Two seconds after ball A was thrown upwards, ball B is thrown vertically downwards at $5, 4$ m·s $^{- 1}$ from the top of the same building. Both balls, A and B, strike the ground at time t seconds.

Ignore the effects of air friction.

The position-time sketch graphs for both balls are shown below.
3.1 Using EQUATIONS OF MOTION ONLY, calculate the value of EACH of the following, as shown in the graphs:
3.1.1 t(5)
Show the memo (5 ticks)Memo
1. ✓
  FormulaUpwards as positive:
  Ball A: $Δ y = v_{i} Δ t + \frac{1}{2} a Δ t^{2}$
  1 mark · Use equations of motion for projectiles
2. ✓
  Substitution for ball A $Δ y = 12 t + \frac{1}{2} (- 9, 8) t^{2}$ ...... Eqn (1)
  1 mark · Use equations of motion for projectiles
3. ✓
  Substitution for ball B $Δ y = - 5, 4 (t - 2) + \frac{1}{2} (- 9, 8) (t - 2)^{2}$ ...... Eqn (2)
  1 mark · Use equations of motion for projectiles
4. ✓
  Equate displacements $Δ y_{A} = Δ y_{B}$ :
  $12 t + \frac{1}{2} (- 9, 8) t^{2} = - 5, 4 (t - 2) + \frac{1}{2} (- 9, 8) (t - 2)^{2}$
  1 mark · Use equations of motion for projectiles
5. ✓
  Answer $12 t = - 5, 4 t + 10, 8 - 19, 6 + 19, 6 t$
  $t = 4$ (s)
  1 mark · Use equations of motion for projectiles
7. Question 1.3 · May/June 2024 · Paper 1 · National (DBE) · 2 marks
Various options are provided as possible answers to the following questions. Each question has only ONE correct answer. Choose the answer and write only the letter (A–D) next to the question numbers (1.1 to 1.10).
1.3 The velocity versus time sketch graph below represents the motion of a ball which was in free fall. The ball struck the ground after 3t seconds.

Which ONE of the following statements is CORRECT?

The ball was ...(2)
1. A dropped from a height above the ground.
2. B thrown vertically upwards from the ground.
3. C thrown vertically upwards from a height above the ground.
4. D thrown vertically downwards from a height above the ground.
Show the memo (1 tick)Memo
1. ✓
  Choose the correct optionUpwards is negative on this graph: the velocity starts at a negative value $v_{i}$ , becomes zero at time t (top of the motion) and then grows in the positive (downward) direction. So the ball was thrown UPWARDS.
  
  It takes t to go up and only t to come back down to its starting point (at 2t). It then keeps falling until 3t, so it lands BELOW the point where it was thrown: it was thrown from a height above the ground.
  
  Answer: C
  2 marks · Describe motion from graphs or words
8. Question 3.1 · May/June 2024 · Paper 1 · National (DBE) · 2 marks
A hot-air balloon moves vertically downwards at a constant velocity of $3, 4$ m·s $^{- 1}$ . When the balloon is $15$ m above the ground, a small ball is dropped from the balloon. Refer to the diagram below.

The ball strikes the ground and bounces vertically upwards. The hot-air balloon continues to move downwards at the same constant velocity.

Ignore the effects of air friction acting on the ball.
3.1 Define the term free fall.(2)
Show the memo (1 tick)Memo
1. ✓
  Definition of free fallMotion during which the only force acting is gravitational force.
  
  OR
  
  Motion under the influence of gravitational force only.
  2 marks · Define vector and motion terms
9. Question 1.4 · November 2023 · Paper 1 · National (DBE) · 2 marks
Various options are provided as possible answers to the following questions. Each question has only ONE correct answer.
1.4 A ball is dropped from height h and strikes the floor with momentum p. The ball is then dropped from height $\frac{1}{2}$ h.

Ignore the effects of air friction.

Which ONE of the following represents the momentum of the ball when it strikes the floor after being dropped from height $\frac{1}{2}$ h?(2)
1. A p
2. B $\frac{1}{2}$ p
3. C $\frac{1}{2}$ p
4. D 2p
Show the memo (1 tick)Memo
1. ✓
  Correct optionDropped from rest: $v_{f}^{2} = 0 + 2 g Δ y$ , so $v_{f} = 2 g h$ . Halving the height gives $v = 2 g \cdot \frac{1}{2} h = \frac{1}{2} 2 g h$ . Momentum $p = m v$ is proportional to $v$ , so the new momentum is $\frac{1}{2}$ p.
  
  Answer: B
  2 marks · Use equations of motion for projectiles
10. Question 3.1 · November 2023 · Paper 1 · National (DBE) · 2 marks
A ball of mass $0, 5$ kg is thrown vertically upwards from the top edge of a building which is $15, 3$ m high. The ball reaches a maximum height of $5, 89$ m above the top of the building. The ball strikes the ground and bounces vertically upwards, reaching a maximum height at point $P$ , as shown in the diagram below.

Ignore the effects of air friction.
3.1 Define the term free fall.(2)
Show the memo (1 tick)Memo
1. ✓
  Definition of free fallMotion under the influence of gravitational force only.
  
  OR
  
  Motion in which the only force acting is gravitational force.
  2 marks · Define vector and motion terms

Vertical Projectile Motion Grade 12 videos

Short lessons from South African teachers first. Videos load only when you tap play, to save your data.

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