Answer Two Balls Thrown: Which Touches Ground First?

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The discussion revolves around a test question asking which of two balls, one dropped and one thrown on a curve, touches the ground first. The original poster chose option C, believing both would land simultaneously due to the ambiguity of "slightly on a curve." Participants express frustration over the question's phrasing, arguing it lacks clarity and precision, which could lead to multiple interpretations. The consensus is that the question is poorly constructed and does not adequately assess understanding of the physics involved. Overall, the question has sparked debate over its validity and clarity in testing knowledge.
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This is an actual question on a test that I took yesterday and I want to know the answer.

"Two balls are thrown at the same time. The first ball is dropped. The second ball is thrown slightly on a curve. Which will touch the ground first?"

A. The first ball.
B. The second ball.
C. They will touch the ground at the same time.

Note: That's all the information that I was given.

I chose C. ...just because I really couldn't decide based on the information given in the question.
 
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"Slightly on a curve" leaves room for interpretation. If it means that the second ball has a small horizontal component of initial velocity but no vertical component, then you are correct. In my opinion this is a poorly phrased question, slightly.
 
Can you post the question verbatum--as it was written?
 
That is the exact phrasing of the question. All of the questions were phrased like this.
 
It's a nonsensical question. Whoever composed the question missed some education in both the subject and English language.
 
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Thread 'Variable mass system : water sprayed into a moving container'

Thread 'Variable mass system : water sprayed into a moving container'

Starting with the mass considerations #m(t)# is mass of water #M_{c}# mass of container and #M(t)# mass of total system $$M(t) = M_{C} + m(t)$$ $$\Rightarrow \frac{dM(t)}{dt} = \frac{dm(t)}{dt}$$ $$P_i = Mv + u \, dm$$ $$P_f = (M + dm)(v + dv)$$ $$\Delta P = M \, dv + (v - u) \, dm$$ $$F = \frac{dP}{dt} = M \frac{dv}{dt} + (v - u) \frac{dm}{dt}$$ $$F = u \frac{dm}{dt} = \rho A u^2$$ from conservation of momentum , the cannon recoils with the same force which it applies. $$\quad \frac{dm}{dt}...
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