What is the initial velocity of a projectile typically defined as?

The initial velocity of a projectile is defined as the velocity of the projectile at the moment it is launched from the ground or the point of origin. This value is crucial for calculating various aspects of motion, including the range, maximum height, and time of flight. At launch, the projectile has a specific speed and direction, which together constitute its initial velocity.

Being defined just after launch means that the projectile's initial velocity accounts for all factors at that specific moment, such as the force applied to it and any angle at which it is launched. This differentiation is important in physics because other conditions, such as speed before impact, average velocity during flight, or maximum velocity, take into consideration additional influences such as air resistance and gravitational acceleration, which alter the velocity as the projectile moves through the air. Thus, understanding what the initial velocity represents is fundamental in the study of projectile motion.