sign up I login
 advanced
refer a friend - earn nickels!!

Ask & Discuss Questions with Community & Experts

Moderation Team
Ask iit jee aieee pet cbse icse state board community Discussion Response Post to: A reverse problem: Finding projectile parameters from its equation
Forum Index -> Community shelf -> View Full Question like the article? email it to a friend.  
Author Message
elessar_iitkgp (2220)

Forum Expert Blazing goIITian

Olaaa!! Perrrfect answer. 380  [540 rates]

elessar_iitkgp's Avatar

total posts: 1626    
offline Offline
Most of you have read projectiles and know how to find the equation of trajectory when the initial velocity, angle of projection are given.

Lets consider a reverse problem:
Given a general quadratic equation, lets find its initial velocity, angle of projection, time of flight, etc., etc, etc ....

Consider a quadratic equation
y = ax2+bx+c -------------(1)
The X axis is considered to be the horizontal plane, and the Y axis is vetial, positive up.
Now, for this equation to represent a projectile, it should be a parabola that opens downwards, ie, a<0
Also, it should have two real roots. For the case of a single real root, the equation represents a particle thrown vertically upwards.
So = b2 - 4ac >0

Lets assume that the particle is projected from the X axis only.
Then, if c>0, the particle is projected from the left of the origin.
If c = 0, the particle is projected from origin.
If c< 0, the particle is projected from the right of the origin.

Differentiating the equation wrt x,
dy/dx = 2ax + b
Equating it to zero, we get the critical point
xc = -b/2a
d2 y/dx= 2a <0
Hence xc is a point of maxima.
H = ymax = y(xc ) = -/4a -----------------(2)

Differentiating the equation wrt time t,
dy/dt = 2ax(dx/dt) + b(dx/dt) ---------------(3)
Differentiating again wrt t
d2 y/dt2 = (2ax + b)(d2 x/dt2) + 2a(dx/dt)2 ---------------(4)
Now,
d2 y/dt2 = -g & d2 x/dt2 = 0
Substituting these values in (4)
-g = (2a)vx2
vx (-g/2a), which is a constant. -----------------(5)
So the X component of velocity remains constant.

From (3),
vy = (2ax+b)vx -------------------(6)

Let the roots of the equation (1) be & such that <. Then x = is the projection point. Hence at the projection point,

ux (-g/2a) &
uy = (2a+b)vx

Now as is a root of the equation (1)
= (-b+ )/2a
(2a+b) =

Hence at projection point,
ux (-g/2a) &
uy = (-g/2a)

So initial speed,
u = ux2 + uy2
   
(1+)(-g/2a) --------------------(7)

Angle of projection
= tan-1 (uy / ux) = tan-1 ------------------(8)

Time of flight
T = 2uy/g = (-/2ag)

Horizontal range
R = 2uy ux /g = - /a ------------------(9)

These derived equations provide a complete description of the projectile.
u =  [(1+)(-g/2a)]
= tan-1
R = - /a
T =  (-/2ag)
H = -/4a

Lets take an example to see these formulas in work

Let the equation be
y = -x2+5x-6

The constant term is -ve, hence the particle is projected from the  +ve X axis
=  1

u =  [(1+)(-g/2a)] = 10 m/s
= tan-1 = 45 deg
R = - /a = 1 m
T =  (-/2ag) = 1/(2 5) s
H = -/4a = 1/4 m




 this article: 20 points  (with Olaaa!! Perrrfect answer.   in 4 votes )   [?]
 
You have to be logged on to rate
  
 

Top Offers for goIITians
Correspondence Courses
Brilliant Tutorials
Narayana Institute
Aakash Institute
Classroom/Crash Courses
Narayana - Kota , Delhi , Others
Brilliant Tutorials - Class , Crash
Aakash Institute - Medical , Engg
Online Test Series
Brilliant Tutorials
Narayana Institute
Aakash Institute
Mahesh Tutorials
AMITY      Sri Chaitanya