Skip to main content
Ch 03: Motion in Two or Three Dimensions
Chapter 3, Problem 3

On level ground a shell is fired with an initial velocity of 40.0 m/s at 60.0° above the horizontal and feels no appreciable air resistance. (a) Find the horizontal and vertical components of the shell's initial velocity.

Verified step by step guidance
1
Resolve the initial velocity into horizontal and vertical components using trigonometric functions. The horizontal component (Vx) can be found using the cosine function: Vx = V * cos(\theta), where V is the initial velocity and \theta is the angle above the horizontal.
Calculate the vertical component (Vy) using the sine function: Vy = V * sin(\theta).
Substitute the given values into the equations. For Vx, use V = 40.0 m/s and \theta = 60.0°. For Vy, use the same values of V and \theta.
Use a calculator to compute the cosine and sine of 60.0°, which are commonly known values (cos(60°) = 0.5 and sin(60°) = 0.866).
Multiply the initial velocity by these trigonometric values to find the horizontal and vertical components of the velocity.

Verified Solution

Video duration:
4m
This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Projectile Motion

Projectile motion refers to the motion of an object that is launched into the air and is subject to gravitational forces. It can be analyzed in two dimensions: horizontal and vertical. The horizontal motion is uniform, while the vertical motion is influenced by gravity, leading to a parabolic trajectory. Understanding this concept is essential for breaking down the initial velocity into its components.
Recommended video:
Guided course
04:44
Introduction to Projectile Motion

Vector Components

Vector components are the projections of a vector along the axes of a coordinate system. For a projectile launched at an angle, the initial velocity can be resolved into horizontal (vx) and vertical (vy) components using trigonometric functions. Specifically, the horizontal component is found using cosine, and the vertical component using sine, which allows for the analysis of motion in each direction separately.
Recommended video:
Guided course
07:30
Vector Addition By Components

Trigonometric Functions

Trigonometric functions, such as sine and cosine, relate the angles of a triangle to the ratios of its sides. In the context of projectile motion, these functions are used to calculate the components of the initial velocity based on the launch angle. For an angle θ, the horizontal component is given by v*cos(θ) and the vertical component by v*sin(θ), where v is the initial velocity.
Recommended video:
Guided course
08:30
Intro to Wave Functions
Related Practice
Textbook Question
A rookie quarterback throws a football with an initial upward velocity component of 12.0 m/s and a horizontal velocity component of 20.0 m/s. Ignore air resistance. (c) How much time (after it is thrown) is required for the football to return to its original level? How does this compare with the time calculated in part (a)?
1289
views
Textbook Question
A rookie quarterback throws a football with an initial upward velocity component of 12.0 m/s and a horizontal velocity component of 20.0 m/s. Ignore air resistance. (d) How far has the football traveled horizontally during this time?
934
views
Textbook Question
The froghopper, Philaenus spumarius, holds the world record for insect jumps. When leaping at an angle of 58.0° above the horizontal, some of the tiny critters have reached a maximum height of 58.7 cm above the level ground. (See Nature, Vol. 424, July 31, 2003, p. 509.) (a) What was the takeoff speed for such a leap?
4085
views
8
rank
Textbook Question
On level ground a shell is fired with an initial velocity of 40.0 m/s at 60.0° above the horizontal and feels no appreciable air resistance. (b) How long does it take the shell to reach its highest point?
919
views
Textbook Question
On level ground a shell is fired with an initial velocity of 40.0 m/s at 60.0° above the horizontal and feels no appreciable air resistance. (c) Find its maximum height above the ground.
478
views
Textbook Question
On level ground a shell is fired with an initial velocity of 40.0 m/s at 60.0° above the horizontal and feels no appreciable air resistance. (d) How far from its firing point does the shell land?
643
views