Projectile Distance: Earth vs. Moon

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the horizontal distance traveled by a projectile on Earth compared to that on the Moon, with a focus on the effects of gravity on projectile motion.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to calculate the initial velocity of a projectile on both Earth and the Moon using the same horizontal distance, questioning the validity of this approach given the differences in gravitational acceleration.
  • Some participants inquire about the calculations and seek clarification on the relationship between height, time, and horizontal displacement.
  • There is confusion regarding the instructions provided in the homework prompt about using the same distance measurement for both scenarios.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the problem, with some providing calculations and others seeking further clarification. There is an acknowledgment of the original poster's confusion, and a request for more information to better understand the problem context.

Contextual Notes

The original poster notes that the homework instructions were unclear, specifically regarding the use of the same distance measurement for both Earth and Moon calculations, which raises questions about the assumptions made in the problem.

jdawg
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Homework Statement



Would the horizontal distance traveled by a projectile on Earth be the same as one on the moon? I feel like the distances would be different, but when I was calculating the initial velocity of the projectile on the moon I used the same x value(distance) that I did for earth. Wouldn't gravity have an affect on the distance traveled?

Homework Equations



Vxoearth=x√(g/2y)
Vxomoon=x√((1/6)g/2y)

The Attempt at a Solution

 
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It would. Gravity affects the maximum height that an object can go, hence it affects time as well, and time affects the horizontal displacement. Can you please show your calculations?
 
Height: y=14.1cm=0.141 m
Distance: x=31.3 cm= 0.313 m

Vxoearth=(0.313)*√(9.8/2*0.141)=0.19 m/s

Vxomoon=(0.313)*√(1/6*9.8/2*0.141)= 0.745 m/s

But what's confusing me is the way they worded the question. They told me to use my x measurement and y height from the experiment when calculating the initial velocity for the moon. Then they ask if the x values measured on the moon would be the same as the x values measured on earth. Why would they tell me to use the same x value if they would be different?
 
As always, please follow the HW template when posting to these forums. We can't judge the wording of the problem if you don't provide it verbatim.
 
Sorry, I'm still kind of new to this forum. But I think I figured out what the question meant. Thanks for the help!
 

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