Which of the following best describes projectile motion?

Projectile motion is best described as the motion of an object thrown into the air. This definition captures the essence of projectile motion, which involves an object that is given an initial velocity and then moves under the influence of gravity alone, following a curved trajectory known as a parabola.

During projectile motion, the object experiences both horizontal and vertical motions: it moves forward due to its initial velocity while simultaneously being accelerated downward by gravity. This results in a distinct path that can be predicted using principles from physics, such as the equations of motion.

Understanding projectile motion is important, especially in fields such as physics, engineering, and various applied sciences, as it can help in predicting the behavior of objects once they are projected into the atmosphere. The other choices describe scenarios that do not capture the complete or accurate essence of projectile motion.