Ronnie's Projectile Motion Calculation

Ronnie's Projectile Motion

Ronnie kicks a playground ball with an initial velocity of 16 m/s at an angle of 40° relative to the ground. What is the approximate horizontal component of the initial velocity?

The horizontal component is calculated as: V_horizontal = V · cos(angle)

In Ronnie's case, V_horizontal = 16 · cos(40) = 12.3 m/s

Answer: 12.3 m/s

The approximate horizontal component of the initial velocity is 12.3 m/s

Understanding Projectile Motion

What is projectile?

When an object is thrown at an angle from the horizontal direction, the object is said to be in projectile motion. The object which follows the projectile motion.

Given is Ronnie kicks a playground ball with an initial velocity of 16 m/s at an angle of 40° relative to the ground.

The horizontal component of the projectile is V_x = V cosθ

Substitute the values, we get V_x = 16 cos(40) = V_x = 12.3 m/s

Thus, approximate horizontal component of the initial velocity is 12.3 m/s.

What is the formula to calculate the horizontal component of the initial velocity in a projectile motion?

The formula to calculate the horizontal component of the initial velocity in a projectile motion is V_horizontal = V · cos(angle), where V is the initial velocity and angle is the angle of projection.