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 velocity? Neglecting air friction, which of these components remains constant throughout the flight path? Which of these components determines the projectile's time in the air?
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When the vector is given you would multiply the vector times the cos of the degrees of the horizontal side and multiply the vector and the sin of the same degrees to get the vertical side
Vertical : 20
To find the vertical component of the velocity at launch, we use sine function. The sine of the launch angle can be used to determine the vertical component.
So, vertical component of velocity at launch = launching velocity * sin(launch angle)
= 20 m/s * sin(53 degrees)
= 20 m/s * 0.7986
= 15.972 m/s
Therefore, the vertical component of its velocity at launch is approximately 15.972 m/s.
To find the horizontal component of the velocity at launch, we use cosine function. The cosine of the launch angle can be used to determine the horizontal component.
So, horizontal component of velocity at launch = launching velocity * cos(launch angle)
= 20 m/s * cos(53 degrees)
= 20 m/s * 0.6018
= 12.036 m/s
Therefore, the horizontal component of its velocity at launch is approximately 12.036 m/s.
Neglecting air friction, the horizontal component of the velocity remains constant throughout the flight path. This is because there is no force acting horizontally to slow down or speed up the projectile.
The vertical component of the velocity determines the projectile's time in the air. This is because it affects the projectile's motion in the vertical direction, determining the time it takes for the projectile to reach its highest point and then come back down to the ground.
These are extremely basic questions. You should have some idea of what the answers are already. If someone just told you the answers, you probably would not learn or remember a thing.
Have you learned about sine and cosine functions? Do you know what a "component" of a vector is?
I'd like to hear what you think the answers are before going any farther.