Question

If you shoot a cannonball from the same cannon first at 30 degrees and then at 60 degrees relative to the horizontal, which orientation of the cannon will make the ball go farther? ignore air resistance.

30 degrees
60 degrees
The distance will be the same
Cannot be determined without additional information

Answer 1

The orientation of the cannon, whether at 30 degrees or 60 degrees, will not affect the distance traveled by the ball. The distance will be the same.

Step-by-step explanation:

In projectile motion, the horizontal and vertical motions are independent of each other. Therefore, changing the angle of the cannon will not affect the horizontal distance traveled by the cannonball.

The range of a projectile depends on its initial velocity and the angle at which it is launched. For a given initial speed, such as might be produced by a cannon, the maximum range is obtained when the launch angle is approximately 45 degrees. This is true only when air resistance is negligible.

Therefore, in the given scenario, if air resistance is negligible, the orientation of the cannon, whether at 30 degrees or 60 degrees, will not affect the distance traveled by the ball. The distance will be the same.