Question

The launching velocity of a missile is 20.0 m/s, and it is shot at 53° above the horizontal. What is the vertical component of the velocity at launch?

Answer 1

Since the launching velocity is at an angle, the launching velocity has a horizontal component and a vertical component. We can use trigonometry to find the vertical component of the velocity. Let (vy) be the vertical component of the velocity. (vy) = v sin(theta) (vy) = (20.0 m/s) sin(53°) (vy) = (20.0 m/s) (0.7986) (vy) = 16.0 m/s The vertical component of the velocity at launch is 16.0 m/s