Projectile motion challenge 2 solution

𝑢 = 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦
𝑢! = 𝑢 cos 45°
𝑢! = 𝑢 sin 45°

1) Time taken for the rocket to hit the ground (let’s call it 𝑡! )

𝑦 − 𝑑𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:
1
𝑠 = 𝑢𝑡 + 𝑎𝑡 !
2
1
0 = 𝑢! 𝑡! + (−𝑔)𝑡!!
2
!
0 = 𝑢 sin 45° 𝑡! − ! (9.81)𝑡!!
0 = 𝑡! (𝑢 sin 45° − 4.905𝑡! )
! !"# !"°
𝑡! = 0 (at start) or 𝑢 sin 45° − 4.905𝑡! = 0 ! 𝑡! = !.!"#

! !"# !"°
2) The x – coordinate of the military car at 𝑡! = !.!"#
Let the origin be at the initial position of the rocket. The car starts from the x-coordinate
100.

𝑥 − 𝑑𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:
1
𝑠 = 100 − 𝑢𝑡 + 𝑎𝑡 !
2
1
𝑠 = 100 − 𝑢!"# 𝑡! + 0𝑡!!
2
𝑢 sin 45°
𝑠 = 100 − 3.00×
4.905
! !"# !"°
3) The x – coordinate of the rocket at 𝑡! = !.!"#

𝑥 − 𝑑𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:
!
𝑠 = 𝑢! + ! 𝑎𝑡 !
1
𝑠 = 𝑢! 𝑡! + 0𝑡!
2
𝑢 sin 45°
𝑠 = 𝑢 cos 45°
4.905

4) Finding the velocity 𝑢

If the rocket hits the car after 𝑡! seconds, the displacement of the rocket and the car must
be the same (they must have the same x – coordinate at 𝑡! )

𝑠=𝑠
𝑢 sin 45° 𝑢 sin 45°
𝑢 cos 45° = 100 − 3.00×
4.905 4.905

cos 45° sin 45° ! sin 45°

𝑢 + 3.00× 𝑢 − 100 = 0
4.905 4.905

𝑢 = 29.271 … 𝑚𝑠 !! ≈ 29.3 𝑚𝑠 !!