In: Physics
You are kicking a soccer ball on a windy night. The acceleration of the wind in the x direction is 2.0 m/s.
a) When the ball is kicked into the wind (de-accelerated) at the angle pi/2, and initial velocity 40 m/s, how far does the ball travel in the x direction prior to landing?
b) When the ball is kicked with the wind (accelerated), at the same angle and initial velocity, how far does the ball travel in the x direction prior to landing?
c) If the ball is kicked into the wind, and the initial velocity is still the same, what angle should it be kicked at so that the ball lands where it started?
The given problem is similar to a standard projectile motion
which usually have acceleration as acceleration due to gravity,
conventionally taken in negative 
 direction. In this
problem additional acceleration in positive 
 direction should be
incorporated.
Let us resolve the equation of motion for 
axis and 
axis :
For 
 axis we have three set
of equation of motion


Similarly for 
 axis we have


a) For 
 and 
and 
The ball is kicked into the wind so the acceleration 
.
To calculate time distance traveled by the ball first we need to
find the time of flight. For that consider the first equation of
axis.
At top 
, so

The time of flight of ball is

So the distance traveled in 
 direction is given
by,

Therefore the ball lands 
 behind where it
was kicked.
b) Using the similar values except the ball is kicked with the
wind, which makes the acceleration 

Therefore the ball lands 
 in front from
where it was kicked.
c) To land the ball where it started we can consider the second
equation of 
axis,

Put 
 then we get

where 


Therefore one should kick the ball with an angle 
 for
the ball to land there itself.