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I am racking my brain trying to figure out why my answer for part ii) of this question is so different from the solution. Attached are the question (both parts i and ii), my working out for both parts and the answer of part ii). Could someone please help me figure out what I did wrong? I have discussed this question with a friend of mine and he said that he couldn't figure out what I did wrong so there's also a small chance that my teacher's answer is incorrect but I am still very uncertain about my working out either.

Thank you so so much for your help!

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Edit 1:

2nd attempt: enter image description here

Edit 2:

3rd attempt: enter image description here

BooScout
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2 Answers2

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Part (i)

Dynamics in $x$-direction: $\ddot{x}=0$, $\dot{x}=V\cos\theta$, $x=Vt\cos\theta$.

Dyanmics in $y$-direction: $\ddot{y}=-10$, $\dot{y}=-10t+V\sin\theta$, $y=-5t^2+Vt\sin\theta$.

(a) Time for projectile to land on the ground: solve $y=0$ for time $t$: \begin{eqnarray*} -5t^2+Vt\sin\theta &=&0\\ \end{eqnarray*} One solution is $t=0$, but that is the initial condition. So, assume $t\neq 0$ and divide by $t$ to get \begin{eqnarray*} -5t+V\sin\theta &=&0 \implies t = \frac{1}{5}V\sin\theta \end{eqnarray*} This is the time until the projectile lands for any given $\theta$ and $V$.

(b) total horizontal distance traveled before projectile hits ground: use the time until projectile hits ground found in (a) in the expression for $x$ as a function of $t$: \begin{eqnarray*} x &=& Vt\cos\theta = V\Big(\frac{1}{5}V\sin\theta\Big)=\frac{1}{10}V^22\sin\theta\cos\theta = \frac{1}{10}V^2\sin 2\theta \end{eqnarray*} This is the horizontal distance travelled up until the projectile hits the ground for any given $\theta$ and $V$.

(c) From (b) we have $R(\theta)=\frac{1}{10}V^2\sin 2\theta$ is the horizontal range as a function of $\theta$ and $V$. The question doesn't state this clearly but they are assuming $V$ is held constant and it is asking which angle maximises the horizontal range. So, differentiate $R(\theta)$ with respect to $\theta$ and set it equal to zero to get $$ R'(\theta)=\frac{1}{5}V^2\cos 2\theta = 0 $$ Hence, solving gives $2\theta=\frac{\pi}{2}$ and so $\theta=\frac{\pi}{4}$. The maximum range for any $V$ is therefore $$ R\Big(\frac{\pi}{4}\Big)=\frac{1}{10}V^2\sin\Big(\frac{\pi}{2}\Big)=\frac{1}{10}V^2 $$

Part (ii)

Dynamics in $x$-direction: $\ddot{x}=0$, $\dot{x}=V\cos\theta+30$, $x=Vt\cos\theta+30t$.

Dyanmics in $y$-direction: $\ddot{y}=-10$, $\dot{y}=-10t+V\sin\theta$, $y=-5t^2+Vt\sin\theta$.

From the $x$ dynamics we see that the range is increased by $30t$ no matter what $\theta$ and $V$ are. We know the time until the projectile hits the ground and so we can work out the increase in range for any $\theta$ and $V$: $$ 30t = 30\Big(\frac{1}{5}V\sin\theta\Big)=6V\sin\theta $$ However, we are told that the maximum range of the rifle, when stationary, is 2000 meters. This means two things (1) the rifle is being fired at an angle of $\frac{\pi}{4}$ so as to maximize range and (2) knowing the range will enable you to find $V$. When the rifle is stationary, the bullet has a maximum range of $\frac{1}{10}V^2$. Hence, we solve $$ 2000=\frac{1}{10}V^2 \implies V=100\sqrt{2} $$ So, $\theta=\frac{\pi}{4}$ and $V=100\sqrt{2}$. This means the extra range gained by mounting rifle on car is $$ 30t = 30\Big(\frac{1}{5}V\sin\theta\Big)=6V\sin\theta = 6(100\sqrt{2})\sin\Big(\frac{\pi}{4}\Big) = 6(100\sqrt{2})\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}=600 $$

EDIT

In part (ii), there is some vagueness in the question. It says the maximum range of the rifle is 2000m. It doesn't explicitly say so but I think one has to assume this is the maximum range when the rifle is at rest, which, from part (i), implies that the rifle is being fired at the angle $\frac{\pi}{4}$. Also, the question explicitly states "the angle of elevation being unaltered" whether stationary or moving, so I think we have to assume the angle remains at $\frac{\pi}{4}$ while moving.

However, as pointed out by ab123, one could interpret the problem slightly differently: once moving at 30m/s, one could ask what is the maximum range if one is then allowed to vary the angle. The y-dynamics don't change so we still have the time in the air given by $t=\frac{1}{5}V\sin\theta$ for any $V$ and $\theta$. Now substitute this time into the expression for $x(t)$ to get \begin{eqnarray*} x(t) &=& Vt\cos\theta +30 t\\ x\Big(\frac{1}{5}V\sin\theta\Big) &=& V\Big(\frac{1}{5}V\sin\theta\Big)\cos\theta+30\Big(\frac{1}{5}V\sin\theta\Big)\\ &=& \frac{1}{10}V^2\sin(2\theta)+6V\sin\theta \end{eqnarray*} Note that the extra $6V\sin\theta$ term represents the gain in range due to moving at 30m/s horizontally, and that it depends on $V$ and $\theta$. The time in the air is $t=\frac{1}{5}V\sin\theta$. Intuitively, when we increase the angle from $\frac{\pi}{4}$ to something a little higher we increase the time in the air and hence increase the time during which we can travel horizontally at 30m/s. However, there is an offsetting effect: increasing the angle reduces the x-velocity $V\cos\theta$ due to the rifle elevation. Well, it turns out that there is an optimal angle that maximizes the difference between these two offsetting velocity effects. To find this angle we take the above expression for distance travelled while in the air and maximize with respect to $\theta$, so we take the derivative: \begin{eqnarray*} x\Big(\frac{1}{5}V\sin\theta\Big) &=& \frac{1}{10}V^2\sin(2\theta)+6V\sin\theta\\ \text{ so }0 &=& \frac{d}{d\theta}x\Big(\frac{1}{5}V\sin\theta\Big)= \frac{d}{d\theta}\frac{1}{10}V^2\sin(2\theta)+6V\sin\theta\\ &=&\frac{1}{5}V^2\cos(2\theta)+6V\cos\theta\\ \end{eqnarray*} Using $V=100\sqrt{2}$ one can numerically solve for the best angle. I get $0.855$ radians which is $48.99$ degrees, slightly higher than $45$ degrees from the above solution. Putting this angle back into the equation $$ x\Big(\frac{1}{5}V\sin\theta\Big) = \frac{1}{10}V^2\sin(2\theta)+6V\sin\theta $$ one gets that the maximum range is $2620.93$, which is slightly higher than the above solution, and represents and increase of $2620.93-2000=620.93$.

When I originally thought about this problem I thought that, moving or not, the range is always maximised by firing the rifle at $\frac{\pi}{4}$. However, that initial intuition was wrong. Increasing the angle increases the time in the air and hence takes further advantage of the fact that the bullet is moving horizontally at a minimum of 30m/s, no matter what angle of elevation is being used (ignoring the possibility of shooting the rifle in the opposite direction to the direction of motion!). As mentioned, this is offset by a loss of horizontal velocity $V\cos\theta$ but there is an angle that maximizes the difference between gains and losses: 48.99 degrees.

  • Hi, thank you so much for helping me! OMG I got 600 for my answer as well (referring to edit 1 in my post). I am so happy someone got the same answer as me! It is so strange that my teacher's solution is 939m. – BooScout Apr 23 '20 at 08:39
  • Check my calculations. The method is right but I may have made a mistake typing it up. Don't forget to upvote my solution :) – SpiritLevel Apr 23 '20 at 08:47
  • @BooScout I think what your teacher did was a different problem of finding the range when you can change the angle of elevation to maximize range (i.e. the angle is variable). You can try it yourself: substitute time of flight $= \dfrac{V\sin \theta}{5}$ in equation $x = Vt \cos \theta + 30t$ and compute $\theta $ using $\dfrac{dx}{d\theta} = 0$ as you want to maximize range. Then find the new maximum range $x$ after substituting $V = 100 \sqrt{2}$ and $\theta$ you just found. The new range will be longer, but I haven't checked if it increases by $939$ – ab123 Apr 23 '20 at 11:53
  • @ab123 Hi, I have tried the method you suggested but the result seems very bizarre to me (still not 939) :)) I am going to attach my working out for this method under "Edit 2". Thank you. – BooScout Apr 24 '20 at 00:23
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    @BooScout. I solved according to approach of ab123. I get the maximum range is 2620.93 at an angle of 48.99 degrees, which represents a range increase of 620.93. I had to solve this numerically. Interesting result: by increasing the angle slightly from 45 to 48.99 degrees we get additional time in the air which means the bullet can travel at the extra 30 m/s longer and this more than offsets the loss of horizontal velocity due to increased angle. – SpiritLevel Apr 24 '20 at 07:09
  • @BooScout I don't think the question was asking you to find a new range maximizing angle for two reasons (1) it can only be found numerically, which isn't the typical homework assignment question, and (2) it explicitly says in the question "the angle of elevation being unaltered" so this suggests keeping the angle at 45 degrees. I'll add this calculation to my answer. – SpiritLevel Apr 24 '20 at 07:14
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    @SpiritLevel thanks for trying my approach. I guess BooScout should ask the teacher how he got $939$. Your calculations are correct, I tried and got a similar answer of $\theta = 49.15$ and an increase of $620.899$ – ab123 Apr 24 '20 at 14:21
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    @ab123 I actually solved mine graphically so your answer is probably more accurate :) – SpiritLevel Apr 25 '20 at 07:53
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Equations for $y$ remain the same in the second case, but velocity in the $x$ direction is now $30 + v\cos \theta$ w.r.t. a stationary frame of reference.

$$x' = v\cos \theta + 30$$

Use this to find $x$ and substitute $t_R$ (the time of flight) found from the unchanged equations for $y$.

ab123
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  • Hi, thank you so much for your reply. I have tried your method but I still got a different answer from the solution. I got 600m this time. It is so strange and frustrating. Could you please have a look at my working out (which has been attached on the post under Edit 1) and tell me what I did wrong? Thank you very much for the help! – BooScout Apr 23 '20 at 08:34