Body thrown at angle to the horizon taking into account air resistance

In summary, the conversation discusses an exercise involving a tennis ball with given mass, diameter, starting position, and speed. The goal is to describe the motion of the ball with and without air resistance using Microsoft Excel. The conversation also explores the concept of air resistance and how it affects the ball's motion. The question of how to define the angle of air resistance is raised, and it is suggested that numerical methods may be necessary to solve for air resistance. The conversation concludes with a mention of the possible effect of spin on the ball's motion.
  • #1
tawki
1
0
Hi every body!
I'm a new guy here, and want to applologize for my Not perfect English.
From the name of the topic you can understand what 'm trying to do here.
ok here is an exercise:
We have tennis ball m=57gr. and diameter of the ball D=6.7sm.
from the start point coordinates Xo=0 & Yo=0.3m, the ball running speed is Vo=20m/s, with an angle [itex]\alpha[/itex]=15o. also aking into an account that g=9.8m/s2.
Neseccary describe the graph of the ball's flight, with and without air resistance.
i'm trying to use an Microsoft EXCEL for it.
First I want to calculated and build the first graph of the ball without air resistance.
At the beginning let's define projection of starting speed Vox and Voy: Vox=Xo+Vo*cos[itex]\alpha[/itex] and Voy=Yo+Vo*sin[itex]\alpha[/itex].
next we can define total time Ttot=2*Vo*sin[itex]\alpha[/itex]/g.
now we can define the coordinates of the ball at exact time:
X=Xo+Vo*cos[itex]\alpha[/itex]*t
Y=Yo+Vo*sin[itex]\alpha[/itex]*t-gt2/2
where: t - exact time during ball flight 0≤t≤Ttot
Based on these results, we can now describe the graph.
We can also determine velocity projections on the X and Y axis, as well as the overall speed at each time point:
Vx=Vox - as the speed of the X-axis does not change with time
Vy=Voy-g*t
Vtotal=√(Vox2+Voy2).

We now move to the question of the motion of the body with the resistance of the air, and where I have had disagreements.
Let's define the total resistance of the air:
Ftot=c*ρ*Vo2*S/2
where: c - coefficient of resistance of the ball (=0.4); ρ - density of air (=1.2kg/m3); S - sectional area of ​​the ball.
Next we define the projection of force of air resistance on the ball at a time:
Fx=Ftot*cosβ & Fy=Ftot*sinβ
And now finally made the equation of the ball with the air resistance:
X=Xo+Vox*t-(Fx*t2)/2*m
Y=Yo+Voy*t-(g+Fy)*t2/2*m
where: m - coefficient of dynamic viscosity of air.
my ferst question "how to define angle β?", because i did like that: β=arccos(Vx/Vtotal).
at the end i can not describe the graph of the ball's flight, with and without air resistance.
I really need an advice, of what, where and how i missed something.
Sorry for my inglish (not my native language).
 

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  • #2
Welcome to PF;
I'd expect air resistance to depend on the square of the instantaneous speed and point opposite to the direction of the instantaneous velocity and not just the value at t=0.

$$\vec{R}_{air}=-\frac{1}{2}c \rho S v\vec{v}$$

You are neglecting the effect of the spin of the ball?

You'll have noticed that the components of the force depend on both components of the velocity.
However - you'll see that your angle beta is a function of time, given by ##\beta(t) = \tan^{-1}\big(v_y(t)/v_x(t)\big)##

Solving for air resistance is not simple. You basically have to use a numerical method:
http://wps.aw.com/wps/media/objects/877/898586/topics/topic01.pdf
 

1. What is the difference between projectile motion with and without air resistance?

When an object is thrown at an angle to the horizon, it experiences projectile motion. If there is no air resistance, the object follows a parabolic path. However, with air resistance, the object will experience a horizontal and vertical acceleration, causing its path to deviate from a perfect parabola.

2. How does air resistance affect the trajectory of a thrown object?

Air resistance, also known as drag, acts in the opposite direction of the object's motion. This means that as the object moves forward, the air resistance pushes it backward, causing its trajectory to be flatter and shorter compared to the same object in a vacuum.

3. How does the angle of projection affect the distance traveled by a thrown object?

The angle of projection, also known as the launch angle, plays a crucial role in determining the distance traveled by a thrown object. The optimal angle for maximum distance is 45 degrees. If the angle is increased or decreased, the distance traveled will decrease due to the influence of air resistance.

4. Can air resistance be ignored in projectile motion calculations?

No, air resistance cannot be ignored in projectile motion calculations. In real-life scenarios, air resistance always exists and can significantly affect the trajectory and distance traveled by a thrown object. It is essential to consider air resistance in calculations to get accurate results.

5. How can air resistance be minimized in projectile motion?

Air resistance can be minimized by reducing the surface area of the object, making it more aerodynamic. This can be achieved by using a pointed or streamlined shape. Additionally, increasing the speed at which the object is thrown can also reduce the effects of air resistance.

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