10/4/2017 MasteringPhysics: Assignment 2: Motion in 2-D

ProjectileMotionConceptual

Acannonisfiredfromthetopofacliffasshowninthefigure.Ignoredrag(airfriction)forthisquestion.TakeH astheheightof
thecliff.

PartA
Whichofthepathswouldthecannonballmostlikelyfollowifthecannonbarrelishorizontal?

Hint1.Findtheypositionasafunctionoftime
Obtainafunctionfortheypositionofthiscannonballasafunctionofthetimetafteritisfired.
Usegforthemagnitudeoftheaccelerationduetogravity,andtakey = 0 atthebaseofthecliff,withy
positiveupward.
ANSWER:

g 2
y(t)= H t
2

Hint2.Interpretingyourequation
Lookattheformulayouobtainedfory(t).AtD/2 theprojectilehasbeenflyingfor1/2ofthetotalflighttime.
Accordingtoyourformula,whatfractionofthewayhasitfallendowntowardtheground?
ANSWER:

hardlyatall

1/4ofthewaydown

1/2ofthewaydown

3/4ofthewaydown.

ANSWER:

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10/4/2017 MasteringPhysics: Assignment 2: Motion in 2-D

Correct

PartB
Nowthecannonispointedstraightupandfired.(Thisprocedureisnotrecommended!)Undertheconditionsalreadystated
(dragistobeignored)whichofthefollowingcorrectlydescribestheaccelerationoftheball?
ANSWER:

Asteadilyincreasingdownwardaccelerationfromthemomentthecannonballleavesthecannonbarreluntilit
reachesitshighestpoint

Asteadilydecreasingupwardaccelerationfromthemomentthecannonballleavesthecannonbarreluntilit
reachesitshighestpoint

Aconstantupwardacceleration

Aconstantdownwardacceleration

Correct
Theaccelerationofthecannonballafteritisfiredistheconstantaccelerationduetogravity.

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