Question

A major leaguer hits a baseball so that it leaves the bat at a speed of 30 m/s and at an angle of 36.9°above the hori- zontal. Ignore air resistance.

a) Calculate the horizontal and vertical components of the baseball's velocity at each of the two times calculated in part

Answer 1

To find the horizontal and vertical velocity components of the baseball hit by a major leaguer, trigonometric functions cosine and sine are used with the given initial speed and launch angle.

Step-by-step explanation:

The problem is a classic example of projectile motion in Physics, specifically covering the kinematics of a body thrown with an initial velocity at an angle to the horizontal.

For a major leaguer who hits a baseball at a speed of 30 m/s and at an angle of 36.9° above the horizontal (ignoring air resistance), the horizontal (vx) and vertical (vy) components of the baseball's velocity can be calculated using trigonometry:

• Horizontal component, vx = v × cos(θ) = 30 m/s × cos(36.9°)
• Vertical component, vy = v × sin(θ) = 30 m/s × sin(36.9°)

These components are important for determining the range, maximum height, and total time of flight of the baseball.