Projectile motion over angled edge

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves projectile motion as an astronaut drives a lunar rover over the edge of a crater on the Moon. The scenario includes a horizontal launch from a level surface into a downward slope at a 30-degree angle, with the gravitational acceleration specified as 2 m/s². The main questions focus on the distance the vehicle will travel down the slope and its velocity before landing.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the initial conditions of the problem, including the lack of height information for the crater. Some suggest using trigonometric relationships and basic right triangle setups to estimate distances, while others emphasize the need for standard constant acceleration equations in both x and y directions. There are questions about the validity of calculated distances and the methods used to arrive at them.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the problem, sharing their thought processes and calculations. There is a mix of attempts to verify the original poster's calculations and suggestions for alternative approaches. Some participants express uncertainty about their results, while others provide guidance on the correct application of projectile motion principles.

Contextual Notes

There is an ongoing discussion about the assumptions made regarding the initial conditions and the setup of the problem, particularly the lack of a specified height for the crater. Participants are encouraged to show their work for verification and clarity.

Samyuerux
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I am having difficulties with this question as no height for the crater is given please help! :)

Homework Statement


AN astronaut is speeding over a level stretch of the Moon's surface at 12m/s in her small lunar rover. She drives over the edge of a crater, whose surface slopes downwards at an angle of 30 degrees below the horizontal.

1) It is known that g = 2m/s^2 on the Moon. How far down the slope (measured from the lip of the crater) will the vehicle land?

2) What is the velocity and speed of the vehicle before landing?

Homework Equations


S(t) = a/2t^2 + V(0)t + S(0), where V = velocity , a = acceleration and s = displacement.
Vf = Vi + at

Thank you for your help!

The Attempt at a Solution



So i think the distance down the slope would be 6.93 Metres but I am not sure if this is right, i used basic trig to work this out, then the rest i can work out myself just need to check that this is right or not!
 
Last edited:
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Welcome to PF!

Hi Samyuerux! Welcome to PF! :smile:
Samyuerux said:
I am having difficulties with this question as no height for the crater is given

The ground is horizontal, then sloping down at 30° …

the projectile starts horizontally, and follows a parabola until it hits the slope …

how far down is that? :wink:
 
IM not sure how you work it out ?
 
Last edited:
is it 6.93 Metres?
Fast reply would be great thank you!
 
Samyuerux said:
is it 6.93 Metres?

i've no idea :confused:

if you want us to check your work, you need to show it! :wink:
 
Well i set up a basic right angled triangle with the Hyp being the slope downwards at 30 degrees.
The horizontal would then be set at 12.
this gives me a vertical componant that's 6.93, so i presumed that would be the distance but i think that's wrong and there is a more complicated method of finding it out which i don't know about.
 
no, you need to do standard constant acceleration equations for the x and y directions, separately (against t)

then use y = xtan30° to solve them …

what do you get? :smile:
 
I think i get you now,
so far i have Sy = t^2 and Sx = 12t
so i think i set Sy = t^2 as xtan30 = t^2
 
so then i rearrange to get 12 tan 30 = t
so t = 6.93
and then times t by Vx = 83.16 and t by Vy = 13.86
then do pythag to find the total displacement?
which comes out at 84.3
that seems too high...
 
  • #10
looks ok :smile:

this is on the moon, remember! :wink:
 
  • #11
Samyuerux said:
so then i rearrange to get 12 tan 30 = t
so t = 6.93
and then times t by Vx = 83.16 and t by Vy = 13.86
then do pythag to find the total displacement?
which comes out at 84.3
that seems too high...

Not quite. You have it correct for the x distance (x = v_x t), but the vertical distance y still satisfies the relationship y = t^2, and that is what you want to use, since the vertical velocity is not constant in time.

By the way, in the future, please post projectile motion problems in the "Introductory Physics" forum -- believe it or not, it's more likely to get answered there!
 
  • #12
Rsin60°=12t
Rcos60°=1/2at2

t=(Rsin60°)/12

Rcos60°=0.5a( (Rsin60°)/12 )2
R=(12.12.cos60°)/sin60°.sin60°
R=96m.

t=6.93sec.
 
Last edited:
  • #13
Samyuerux said:
so then i rearrange to get 12 tan 30 = t
so t = 6.93
and then times t by Vx = 83.16 and t by Vy = 13.86
then do pythag to find the total displacement?
which comes out at 84.3
that seems too high...

x=83.16m
y=(1/2)at2=(6.93)2=48.02m
 
  • #14
Thanks very much guys got their in the end! :)
 

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