Question

For a horizontal launch (, = 0) at a fixed height h > 0, are the statements below correct? (Assuming friction can be ignored.)

1. The object is moving along a straight line.
2. The acceleration in the horizontal is zero.
3. No matter how fast the object is launched, the travel time is always the same.
4. No matter how fast the object is launched, the horizontal travel distance Ax is always the same.

Answer 1

For a horizontal launch at a fixed height and ignoring friction, the object moves in a straight line, the acceleration in the horizontal direction is zero, the travel time depends on the launch velocity, and the horizontal travel distance is constant.

Step-by-step explanation:

For a horizontal launch (θ = 0) at a fixed height h > 0 and ignoring friction, the statements are as follows:

1. The object is moving along a straight line: Yes, when launched horizontally, the object moves in a straight line in the horizontal direction.
2. The acceleration in the horizontal is zero: Yes, since there is no force acting horizontally, the acceleration in the horizontal direction is zero.
3. No matter how fast the object is launched, the travel time is always the same: No, the travel time will depend on the velocity at which the object is launched. The higher the velocity, the shorter the travel time.
4. No matter how fast the object is launched, the horizontal travel distance Ax is always the same: Yes, since there is no acceleration in the horizontal direction, the horizontal travel distance will be the same for different launch velocities.