Author Question: What is the vertical and horizontal components of veloctiy? (Read 739 times)

Hawke

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 679
The launching velocity of a projectile is 20 m/s at 53 degrees above the horizontal. What is the vertical component of its velocity at launch? Its horizontal component of velocity? Neglecting air friction, which of these components remains constant though out the flight path? Which of these components determines the projectile's time in the air?



Hungry!

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,071
vertical component would be sin theta and horizontal component would be cos thetha



Related Topics

Need homework help now?

Ask unlimited questions for free

Ask a Question

j_sun

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 384
Let U = 20 mps and theta = 53 deg re the horizontal.

Then Uy = U sin(theta) = 20*sin(53) is the vertical and Ux = U cos(theta) = 20*cos(53) the horizontal.

Discounting drag forces, the only...only...force acting on the object is the force of gravity W = mg.  And W is strictly vertical as that's the way gravity works, up and down.  As there is no...no...horizonta l force, we have Fx = mAx = 0 and Ax, the horizontal accleration, = 0.  In which case Vx = Ux + AxT = Ux + 0T = Ux.  In other words, the horizontal speed remains at Ux; so it's constant.

But there is a vertical force, gravity.  So Fy = mAy = mg <> 0; so that the acceleration due to gravity g <> 0.  In which case, Vy = Uy - gT and (- Vy + Uy)/-g = T determines how long the projectile remains in the air.  So both the initial Uy and final Vy vertical speed components do this.

NOTE - g, which means the gravity force is decelerating the initial speed Uy which is a + value and assumed upward.  But as time wears on, Vf will eventually turn negative, meaning that the end speed, Vf, will most likely be negative and in the direction of the gravity force that always...always...a cts downward.



 

Did you know?

Asthma is the most common chronic childhood disease in the world. Most children who develop asthma have symptoms before they are 5 years old.

Did you know?

The oldest recorded age was 122. Madame Jeanne Calment was born in France in 1875 and died in 1997. She was a vegetarian and loved olive oil, port wine, and chocolate.

Did you know?

On average, the stomach produces 2 L of hydrochloric acid per day.

Did you know?

Most fungi that pathogenically affect humans live in soil. If a person is not healthy, has an open wound, or is immunocompromised, a fungal infection can be very aggressive.

Did you know?

In 2012, nearly 24 milliion Americans, aged 12 and older, had abused an illicit drug, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

For a complete list of videos, visit our video library