Video: Projectile Motion

Watch the video, and then answer the following questions.

Part A
When Dr. Hewitt releases the two projectiles, which one hits the ground first?

Hint 1. Watch the video.

Watch the video, and listen to the sounds. ANSWER: Both balls hit the ground at the same time. The ball that drops vertically hits the ground first. The ball that goes horizontally hits the ground first.

Correct

Part B
When Dr. Hewitt releases the two objects, how can we tell whether one of the objects hits the ground first or whether they both hit at the same time?

Hint 1. Watch the video.

Watch the video, and listen to the sounds. ANSWER: We are able to hear the two balls fall. We are able both to see and to hear the two balls fall. We are able to see the two balls fall.

Correct

Part C
Why do the two objects hit the table at the relative times that they do?

Hint 1. Effect of gravity

Does gravity act differently on the ball that is shot out horizontally compared to the ball that is dropping vertically? ANSWER: The ball that is shot horizontally travels a longer path in the air. The inertia of the ball that is shot horizontally makes it less susceptible to gravity. Gravity pulls the same amount on both, and they both drop the same distance.

Correct

Interactive Figure: Velocity During Projectile Motion

Explore the Interactive Figure to help you with the following set of questions. If you need more help, click on

"How To Use" for more information. Instructions: When told to do so in the questions, set the Angle and the Speed, and then click Play to observe the projectile. Click Reset to return to the beginning.

Part A
Predict how the horizontal component of the velocity will change with time after the projectile is fired.

Hint 1. Horizontal force on projectile

Does the projectile experience any force in the horizontal direction? ANSWER: It first decreases and then increases. It continuously increases. It first increases and then decreases. It stays constant. It continuously decreases.

Correct

Part B
Predict how the vertical component of the velocity will change with time after the projectile is fired.

Hint 1. Vertical force on projectile

Does the projectile experience any force in the vertical direction? ANSWER:

It stays constant. It continuously decreases. It first increases and then decreases. It continuously increases. It first decreases to zero and then increases in the opposite direction.

Correct

Part C
Predict how the time of flight would change if you increased the angle of the projectile, keeping the initial speed constant.

Hint 1. Maximum height and angle

How does the maximum height achieved by the projectile change when you increase the angle? ANSWER: It increases. It decreases. It stays the same.

Correct

Part D
Predict how the range of the projectile will change when you change the angle from speed constant. , keeping the

Hint 1. Range and angle

If the angle is too low, the projectile will not go very far. If the angle is too high, the projectile will go up but not travel very far horizontally. What will be the optimum angle? ANSWER:

It decreases with either an increase or a decrease in angle. It increases with either an increase or decrease in angle. The range increases with increase in angle and decreases with decrease in angle. The range increases with decrease in angle and decreases with increase in angle.

Correct

Video Tutor: Ball Fired from Cart on Incline

First, launch the video below. You will be asked to use your knowledge of physics to predict the outcome of an experiment. Then, close the video window and answer the questions at right. You can watch the video again at any point.

Part A
Consider the video demonstration that you just watched. A more complete explanation of what you saw will be possible after covering Newton's laws. For now, consider the following question: How would the result of this experiment change if we replaced the ball with another one that had half the mass? Ignore air resistance.

Hint 1. How to approach this problem

The kinematics of the situation in the video are actually quite complex; proving that the ball must land in the cart would not be easy. However, given that the ball did land in the cart in the video, you can answer the current question whether the ball's mass affects the outcome - quite easily. The ball is a projectile; the cart is an object moving in a straight line with constant acceleration. You know the kinematic equations that relate position, time, and velocity for this type of motion. If the ball's mass is a factor in a relevant equation, then it will affect the outcome; if not, then it won't. If you perform the experiment with a heavier ball, the ball's initial velocity will be lower, and the ball will therefore follow a shorter trajectory and strike the track closer to the trigger. But the kinematic equations tell you that the cart will still be at the same location as the ball when the ball reaches the track.

ANSWER: The ball would land ahead of the cart. The ball would still land in the cart. The ball would land behind the cart.

Correct
The ball lands in the cart regardless of its mass.

Orbital Motion Tutorial

Work through the tutorial by clicking the image or link below, then answer the questions below. Orbital motion

Part A
Why do the planets orbit the Sun and NOT crash into the Sun?

Hint 1. What direction is the force of gravity?

The force of gravity the Sun exerts on a planet is always in the radial direction. ANSWER: Although the planets experience a force of gravity from the Sun, because they are moving, their trajectories bend around the Sun rather than lead directly into the Sun. All astronomical objects move in circular orbits. There is no gravity in space.

Correct
If a planet were initially stationary, then it would fall straight into the Sun. For an orbiting planet, however, the Suns force of gravity causes the trajectory to bend, but the force doesnt stop the motion that is perpendicular to the radial direction.

Part B
Consider the trajectories in the figure, which are shown looking directly down. Which trajectories are possible orbital paths?

Hint 1. Keplers laws for planetary motion

Which orbit is consistent with Keplers first law? ANSWER: all the trajectories trajectories 1, 2, and 3 trajectories 1 and 3 only only trajectory (4) trajectories 1 and 2 only only trajectory 1

Correct
Keplers first law of planetary motion states that all planet trajectories are ellipses.

Part C

A satellite orbits Earth with the trajectory shown in the figure. Which points are acceptable locations for Earth?

Hint 1. Earths location relative to the orbit

Earth should be located at one of the two foci of the satellites orbit. ANSWER:
points 2 and 3 point 1 only points 1, 2, and 4 point 2 only points 1 and 2

Correct
The massive object is always at one of the two foci of the satellite's orbit.

Part D
The orbital path of a satellite is shown in the figure. In which of the marked positions does the satellite have the LOWEST speed?

Hint 1. Conservation of energy

The total energy (kinetic plus gravitational potential) of the satellite is conserved. For which location is the gravitational potential energy the highest? ANSWER: location A location B location C The satellites speed is constant as it orbits Earth.

Correct
Because the satellite is furthest away from the Earth at this location, it has the most amount of gravitational potential energy. By the law of conservation of energy, this means that the satellite has the smallest amount of kinetic energy at this location.

Video Tutor: Range of a Gun at Two Firing Angles

First, launch the video below. You will be asked to use your knowledge of physics to predict the outcome of an experiment. Then, close the video window and answer the questions at right. You can watch the video again at any point.

Part A
Which projectile spends more time in the air, the one fired from 30 or the one fired from 60 ?

Hint 1. How to approach this problem

Which component of the initial velocity vector affects the time the projectile spends in the air? ANSWER: They both spend the same amount of time in the air. The one fired from 60 The one fired from 30

Correct
The projectile fired from 60 has a greater vertical velocity than the one fired from 30 , so it spends more time in the air.