Conceptual Question on Projectile Motion

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on a physics problem involving projectile motion from a moving car. A car traveling at 2 m/s launches a projectile at 7 m/s at a 25-degree angle above the horizontal. The key conclusion is that the landing angle of the projectile with respect to the ground differs from the launch angle due to the car's horizontal velocity. Specifically, as the car's speed increases, the landing angle becomes shallower, illustrating the influence of horizontal motion on projectile trajectories.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic kinematics, particularly projectile motion
  • Familiarity with vector addition of velocities
  • Knowledge of trigonometric functions related to angles and motion
  • Concept of relative velocity in physics
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the equations of motion for projectiles, including horizontal and vertical components
  • Learn about the effects of initial velocity and launch angle on projectile trajectories
  • Explore the concept of relative velocity in different frames of reference
  • Investigate real-world applications of projectile motion in sports and engineering
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This discussion is beneficial for physics students, educators, and anyone interested in understanding the complexities of projectile motion, particularly in relation to moving reference frames.

Raios168
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Homework Statement



Question says there is a car moving at 2 m/s and a projectile is launched from top of the car at a speed of 7 m/s relative to the car. They give the angle as 25 degrees above the horizontal but then ask what is the angle that it makes with ground when it finally lands? My first thought was that it would be the same as the launching angle since it would follow a parabolic path, but the answer to the question is not 25 degrees. So why is this the case, what am I not understanding?

To put it simply, if a projectile is launched from ground level at an angle theta then will it have that same angle when it lands? Thanks in advance.[/B]
 
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It's because the car is moving. Imagine if the car was moving very fast horizontally (say 1000m/s). When it hit the ground the horizontal velocity of the projectile would also be very high (compared to the vertical velocity which is unchanged) so the angle would be very shallow.

If the car was going backwards at just the right speed the projectile would land vertically :-)
 
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Awesome, I understand it now. Thank you very much
 

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