In: Physics
You will now calculate the initial velocity, v0 , required to launch a ball to a horizontal distance, d , if the ball is launched purely horizontally from a height h above the top of the table.
First draw a diagram of the situation. Clearly label h , d , v0 , and the point you select as your origin.
Use 1-D kinematics to determine the time it would take the ball to fall if you simply released it from a height of h above the top of the table. Since motion in the x and y-dimensions are independent, that is really all that is happening in the y-direction. Your answer can depend on variables g , h , d , and v0 , but not necessarily all of them.
Use 1-D kinematics to determine the average speed the ball would have if it traveled a distance d in the time you calculated above. Your answer can depend on variables g , h , d , and v0 , but not necessarily all of them. Since the initial velocity from the launcher was purely in the x-direction, and there is no acceleration in the x-direction, this is just v0 .