Linking Physical Models and Immersive Visualization: A Virtual Reality Approach to Projectile Motion

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) offers promising opportunities for physics education, enabling the immersive visualization of abstract and spatially complex phenomena. Traditional instructional approaches to projectile motion primarily use twodimensional representations, which can hinder students understanding of motion in three-dimensional space. This paper presents the design and development of a VR-based projectile motion simulation implemented using the Unity game engine. The proposed environment enables learners to manipulate initial conditions and observe projectile trajectories in real time, while displaying the associated analytical equations. Adopting a design-oriented approach, this work aims to support conceptual understanding of projectile motion by explicitly linking mathematical models with immersive visual representations. The simulation is intended as a pedagogical tool with the potential to enhance student engagement and facilitate learning in secondary and early undergraduate physics education.