What is the path followed by a projectile under the influence of gravity alone?

The path followed by a projectile under the influence of gravity alone is called a parabolic trajectory. Here are the steps to understand it:

1. Initial Launch: The object is launched with an initial velocity. This velocity can be broken down into two components - horizontal and vertical. The horizontal component remains constant throughout the flight as there are no horizontal forces (assuming air resistance is negligible). The vertical component, however, changes due to the force of gravity.

2. Ascending Phase: After the launch, the object starts ascending. During this phase, the vertical component of the velocity decreases due to gravity until it becomes zero at the highest point of the trajectory.

3. Peak Point: This is the highest point of the trajectory. At this point, the vertical component of the velocity is zero but the horizontal component is still the same as it was at the start.

4. Descending Phase: After reaching the peak point, the object starts descending. During this phase, the vertical component of the velocity increases due to gravity but in the opposite direction. The horizontal component remains the same.

5. Impact: The object hits the ground. At this point, the vertical component of the velocity is at its maximum.

Throughout this journey, the path traced by the object is a parabola, hence it's called a parabolic trajectory. This is due to the constant acceleration acting downwards (gravity) and the constant horizontal velocity.