Question

A bomb is dropped by a fighter plane flying horizontally with uniform speed. To an observer sitting in the plane, the trajectory of the bomb is a :

(Consider no air resistance is acting on the bomb)

A. parabola in the direction of motion of plane
B. straight line vertically down the plane
C. hyperbola
D. parabola in a direction opposite to the motion of plane

Answer 1

To an observer in the plane, the trajectory of a bomb dropped by a fighter plane flying horizontally with uniform speed and no air resistance appears as a straight line vertically down, because the observer and the bomb share the same horizontal velocity. The correct answer is option: B. straight line vertically down the plane.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks about the trajectory of a bomb dropped by a fighter plane flying horizontally with uniform speed, in the absence of air resistance. Recall from Projectile Motion that when an object like a bomb is released from a horizontally moving vehicle, it inherits the horizontal velocity of that vehicle.

Since there's no air resistance to slow it down, the bomb continues to move forward at the same horizontal speed as the plane. Meanwhile, gravity acts on the bomb, causing it to accelerate downward. The combined effect is that the bomb follows a parabolic trajectory relative to the ground because of its horizontal motion and vertical acceleration.

To an observer in the plane, the bomb appears to fall in a straight line vertically down below the point of release because the observer shares the same horizontal velocity as the bomb. However, to an observer on the ground, the bomb's path is a parabola because it reflects both the initial horizontal velocity (from the plane) and acceleration due to gravity.