How Do You Find a Specific Horizontal Distance in a Projectile Problem?

[Jason03]

When you have a basic projectile problem, What is the easiest way to find a specific horizontal distance in the problem.( other than the full horizontal distance that the projectile travels)

Say you know the height (y) but want to find the distance (x).

 

[alphysicist]

In the basic projectile problems, the horizontal and vertical motions are independent of each other; but if along its path the particle is at the point (x,y), then that means that the time it is at x is the same time it is at y.

So if you know the height, find out at what time it is at that height; then find out how far horizontally it has gone in that time.

 

[Moetasim]

The easiest way to find the specific horizontal distance in a basic projectile problem is to use the equation x = v0 * t, where v0 is the initial velocity in the horizontal direction and t is the time. In this case, you would need to know the initial velocity and the time at which the projectile reaches the desired height. Another method would be to use the equation x = v0 * cos(theta) * t, where theta is the launch angle. This method would require you to know the initial velocity and the launch angle at which the projectile was fired. Both of these methods assume that there is no air resistance and the projectile is traveling at a constant velocity. If air resistance is a factor, a more complex calculation would be needed to accurately determine the horizontal distance.