Projectile motion of a snowmobile

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves the projectile motion of a snowmobile leaving an embankment at a specific angle and speed. The context includes determining the time of flight and range of the trajectory, with the slope of the mountain described as a 3-4-5 triangle.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the need to clarify the relative heights of points A and B, questioning whether B is higher or lower than A. There is also exploration of the implications of the 3-4-5 triangle on the problem setup.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided insights into the equations of motion and clarified the relationship between the triangle's sides and the projectile's range. However, there remains uncertainty regarding the specifics of the height and range calculations, and no consensus has been reached on the interpretation of the problem's parameters.

Contextual Notes

There is mention of a potential diagram that could aid in understanding the problem, and the original poster expresses uncertainty about deriving the necessary values using the provided equations.

getty102
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Homework Statement




The snowmobile is traveling at 10m/s when it leaves the embankment at A. The angle that the snowmobile leaves its elevated jump is 40 degrees. Determine the time and flight from A to B and the range R of the trajectory.
The slope of the mountain is a 3-4-5 triangle.

Homework Equations


y=y_0+10sin40(t)-.5(9.81)t^2
R=10cos40(t)


The Attempt at a Solution


I wasn't sure how to get the height, range, and time(in the air) using only the equations of projectile motion.
 
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I am guessing from what I read that B is either up a mountain from A or down a mountain, and the slope of the mountain is in the form of a 3:4:5 right angled triangle.

Is B higher than A, or lower than A?

Is y/R equal to 3/4, or is it equal to 4/3 ?

Without knowing these the question can't be answered. Is there a diagram that comes with this problem?
 
Last edited:
You are correct, the point A starts at an elevated position while point B is at a lower position. The 3-4-5 triangle has its 3 side underneath point A and the 4 side would be considered the Range.
 
OK, then if you consider the motion upwards to be positive, since the vertical position of the projectile ends up lower than it's starting vertical position (i.e. since it falls), your first equation should change to this.

-y=y_0+10sin40(t)-.5(9.81)t^2

Your second equation is correct for the range,

R=10cos40(t)

Also,

y_0 = 0

From the sides of the 3:4:5 triangle we can get the following relation,

y/R = 3/4

These four equations are all you need to find y, R and t.
 

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