Projectile Motion: True or False?

A machine launches a tennis ball

A machine launches a tennis ball at an angle of 25° above the horizontal at a speed of 14 m/s. The ball returns to level ground after 0.6 seconds. (g=9.81 m/s)

Select one: True False

Final answer: The ball, launched at a speed of 14 m/s at an angle of 25°, would return to the ground after about 0.886 seconds, not 0.6 seconds, based on the principles of projectile motion. So, the statement is false.

Explanation:

To determine the truth of the statement, we can use the principles of projectile motion. To calculate the time of flight of a projectile, we can use the formula T = 2u sin(θ) / g, where T is the time, u is the initial speed, θ is the angle of projection, and g is the acceleration due to gravity. Plugging in the numbers we have: T = 2 * 14 * sin(25) / 9.81 ≈ 0.886 seconds. This means the ball returns to the ground after about 0.886 seconds. Hence, the claim that it returns after 0.6 seconds is false.

Do you understand why the statement is false?

Yes, the statement is false because the actual time taken for the tennis ball to return to the ground is approximately 0.886 seconds, not 0.6 seconds as mentioned in the claim. This can be calculated using the principles of projectile motion and the given initial conditions of the launch.