Question

A cannonball is fired from a cannon at about 30 degrees. What would the velocity and acceleration component look like right as the ball leaves the cannon?

A. Velocity is vertical, acceleration is horizontal
B. Velocity is horizontal, acceleration is vertical
C. Velocity and acceleration are both horizontal
D. Velocity and acceleration are both vertical

Answer 1

The velocity component is horizontal and the acceleration component is vertical.

Step-by-step explanation:

In projectile motion, the velocity of a cannonball can be analyzed in terms of horizontal and vertical components. Right as the cannonball leaves the cannon, its initial velocity can be decomposed into horizontal and vertical components. The horizontal component remains constant (assuming no horizontal forces act on the projectile), while the vertical component is influenced by gravity, causing the projectile to experience downward acceleration. Therefore, at the moment of launch, the velocity component is primarily horizontal, directed along the path of the projectile, while the acceleration component is vertical, influenced by gravity and acting downward. This decomposition aids in understanding and predicting the motion of projectiles in two dimensions.