Objects that exhibit projectile motion follow a ____________ path.

Objects that exhibit projectile motion follow a parabolic path.

In projectile motion, an object is launched into the air and is subject to the force of gravity, causing it to follow a curved trajectory. The path is determined by the initial velocity, the angle of launch, and the acceleration due to gravity. When an object is projected, it has both horizontal and vertical components of motion: the horizontal motion is uniform because there is no acceleration in that direction, assuming air resistance is negligible, while the vertical motion is subject to constant acceleration due to gravity, which pulls the object downward.

As the object rises, it slows down until it reaches its peak height; then it accelerates downward. The combination of these two motions creates a symmetrical parabolic trajectory. The shape is distinctive and can be described mathematically with the equations of motion, reflecting the path's dependence on the initial conditions of the projectile.