Question

Please answer these two conceptually in mini paragraph form!

Some physics instructors describe situations dealing with two-dimensional motion as simply being “two, one-dimensional motion problems”; how might you defend this statement against someone who believes that two-dimensional motion problems are fundamentally different from one-dimensional motion problems?

Neglecting air resistance, what are the three primary quantities responsible for the time-of- flight for a projectile? For each, briefly describe how the quantity affects the projectile’s time of flight.

Answer 1

1)The two dimensional motion can be considered as the resultant motion of two one dimensional motions through x and y directions. The two dimentional motion can be resolved into its components along the x and y axes. So it's evident that the two dimensional motion is the combination of two one dimensional motions.

2) Time of flight is just double the maximum height time.

It depends upon,

i)Speed at start -the faster, the further

ii)Elevation angle-45 degrees elevation angle gives the maximum height

iii)Wind velocity-If the wind is in the opposite direction of the motion of the projectile, the time of flight decreases and if the wind is in the same direction as that of the projectile, the time of flight increases.

iv)Gravity-It is not a major consideration for most application on Earth be told but is crucial when said projectile is designed to go to space, like rockets.