In a conversion from military to peacetime use, a missile with a maximum horizontal range of 170 is being adapted for studying the upper atmosphere. What is the maximum altitude it can achieve if launched vertically?
170 what? inches? furlongs? light years?
Maximum horizontal range (which is achieved when fired at 45 degrees) is Vo^2/g
Maximum vertical height (achieved when fired straight up) is
Vo^2/(2*g)
Vo is the launch velocity.
You figure it out.
Whoever posted the answer to this problem is a moron. Yes, the launch angle in the horizontal direction is 45, but that is not the equation for the Max vertical distance.
To determine the maximum altitude the missile can achieve when launched vertically, we need to consider its maximum horizontal range and its launch angle. The missile's maximum horizontal range of 170 represents the distance it can travel in the horizontal direction.
When the missile is launched vertically, the maximum vertical distance it can achieve is known as its maximum altitude. To calculate this, we can use basic principles of projectile motion.
Let's assume that the missile follows a simple parabolic trajectory when launched. In this case, the maximum altitude can be found by determining the vertical component of the missile's motion.
Without the launch angle, it's difficult to calculate the exact maximum altitude. If you could provide the launch angle or any additional information, we could proceed with the calculations.