Projectile motion of a cannon ball

In summary, a ball is fired from a cannon at an angle of 40 degrees to the horizontal with an initial velocity of 48.8 m/s. It travels 300m before hitting the side of a cliff which is 10 meters higher than the cannon's position. The ball has a negative velocity when it hits the cliff.
  • #1
Ry122
565
2
a ball is fired from a cannon at an angle of 40 degrees to the horizontal and it travels 300m before hitting the side of a cliff which is 10 meters higher than the cannons position.
Determine the initial velocity.

The ball has a negative velocity when it hits the cliff.

My attempt:
Where v = the balls initial velocity
y component of velocity = -9.81t + Vsin40

integrate this and get

y position = .5*-9.8t^2 + vsin40t

x component of velocity = vcos40

integrate this and get

x position = vcos40tUsing the expression for x velocity, solve for t at 300m in the x direction and get the expression
t=300/vcos40

Sub this into the expression for the y position above and solve for v.I'm unsure if this is the correct way to go about doing this. The velocity I ended up with is 42.7124ms^-1 which seems a bit slow for the distance it covers.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Your method is correct.
I check your answer, but I got the initial speed is 48.8 m/s.
 

What is projectile motion?

Projectile motion refers to the motion of an object (in this case, a cannon ball) that is launched into the air and moves under the influence of gravity alone, with no additional forces acting upon it.

What factors affect the trajectory of a cannon ball?

The trajectory of a cannon ball is affected by the initial velocity of the ball, the angle at which it is launched, the force of gravity, and any external factors such as air resistance.

How do you calculate the range of a cannon ball?

The range of a cannon ball can be calculated using the formula R = (v^2 * sin(2θ)) / g, where R is the range, v is the initial velocity, θ is the launch angle, and g is the acceleration due to gravity.

Why does a cannon ball follow a curved path?

A cannon ball follows a curved path due to the force of gravity pulling it towards the ground. As the ball moves forward, it is also pulled downwards, resulting in a parabolic trajectory.

Can the trajectory of a cannon ball be affected by air resistance?

Yes, air resistance can affect the trajectory of a cannon ball. As the ball moves through the air, it experiences a force in the opposite direction of its motion, causing it to slow down and potentially alter its path.

Similar threads

  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
15
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
11
Views
790
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
11
Views
956
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
18
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
5
Views
289
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
9
Views
229
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
9
Views
110
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
34
Views
697
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
2
Replies
38
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
19
Views
1K
Back
Top