Projectile Motion in Physics: Exploring Horizontal Velocity Component

What is the horizontal component of the ball's velocity right before Sarah catches it?

Julie throws a ball to her friend Sarah. The ball leaves Julie's hand a distance 1.5 meters above the ground with an initial speed of 23 m/s at an angle 30 degrees with respect to the horizontal. Sarah catches the ball 1.5 meters above the ground.

Horizontal Component of Ball's Velocity

The horizontal component of the ball's velocity before it is caught is 19.9 m/s.

Projectile motion in physics involves the motion of objects in the air that are subject to gravity. One key concept in projectile motion is the horizontal and vertical components of velocity.

When Julie throws the ball to Sarah, the horizontal component of the ball's velocity remains constant throughout its flight. This is because there are no horizontal forces acting on the ball after it is thrown.

To determine the horizontal component of the ball's velocity right before Sarah catches it, we can use the initial speed and the angle of projection. The formula to calculate the horizontal component of velocity is vx = v * cos(θ), where vx is the horizontal component of velocity, v is the initial speed, and θ is the angle of projection.

Substituting the given values into the formula, vx = 23 m/s * cos(30) = 19.9 m/s. Therefore, the horizontal component of the ball's velocity right before Sarah catches it is 19.9 m/s.

Understanding the horizontal and vertical components of velocity in projectile motion is essential for analyzing the motion of objects in real-life scenarios. By breaking down the velocity into its components, we can make predictions and calculations about the trajectory of the projectile.