Projectile Motion 2 Answers

 

1) Using the cursor, determine the maximum height in meters of each projectile. Do these answers make sense or are    
    they contradictory? Justify your answer.
    Both projectiles attain a maximum height of 28.2 m (approximate due to the cursor sensitivity). These
    answers should be in agreement because both projectiles are in a state of free fall. The initial vertical
    velocities are the same and they both accelerate vertically at -g.
 
2) (a) What is the range of each projectile?
         The projectile fired vertically has a range of zero and the other a range of 41.2 m.
    (b) Does the range of each projectile agree or disagree with Newton's Law of Inertia? Justify your answer.
         The projectile fired vertically has an initial vertical velocity greater than zero and a vertical
         acceleration of -g. This projectile can be thought of in accordance with Newton's 2nd law explaining its
         vertical acceleration and in accordance with Newton's 1st law. When the net force equals zero, an
         object will maintain its present state of motion.
         Horizontally the projectile can not be accelerating because there is not net force acting horizontally.
         It moves horizontally at a constant velocity equal to its initial horizontal velocity. Because there is no
         air resistance, there is no net horizontal force.
 
3) Is there any air resistance acting on either projectile? How do you know?
    There is no air resistance because the parabola is symmetrical (See Projectile Motion 1 Answers for more
    details).
 
4) What is the average velocity for the projectile following a parabolic path? Explain your reasoning.
     vave = vH = a constant because horizontally there are equal displacements and vertically the net
     displacement is zero.
 

 

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