There are several problems on ballistic that illustrate in a straightforward manner the application of Newton’s equations to parabolic motion. Think for example that a projectile is launched in front of a fence of height \(h\) located at a distance \(L\) from the place of firing.
Ballistic motion is one of the more elementary problems where the application of Newton’s second law is straightforward. The problem to be considered in the present article is the calculation of the critical angle \(\theta_c\) of firing a projectile of mass \(m\) with initial velocity \(v_0\), that leads to a maximum horizontal reach \(x_{\text{max}}\).