Question #7cd1e

1 Answer
Jan 9, 2018

They are the same!

Explanation:

The different between free fall and projectile motion is that the projectile motion is free falling vertically and moving horizontally at the same time.

The motion in the horizontal direction, if the air resistance is negligible small, has no force acting on it. Then according to the Newton's first law, the horizontal motion must be constant. The gravity doesn't affect the horizontal motion at all because gravity only pulls it downward, not sideway. Hence the vertical component of a projectile motion is same as free falling.

Try this: Two identical balls A and B are released at the same high at the same time. A is initially at rest when it is dropped; but B is shot horizontally forward to the right when it is released. Which ball is going to hit the ground first. Ans: They reach the ground at the same time!