Motion of a Ball on a Table: Understanding Acceleration

Question:

1. What kind of motion does the ball experience in the x direction when fired horizontally from the edge of a table? Is it constant velocity (zero acceleration) or constant with non-zero acceleration?

2. What kind of motion does the ball experience in the y direction when fired horizontally from the edge of a table? Is it constant velocity (zero acceleration) or constant with non-zero acceleration?

Answer:

1. In the x direction, the ball will have a constant velocity (zero acceleration) as there are no forces acting horizontally to change its speed or direction.

2. In the y direction, the ball will experience a constant, but non-zero acceleration due to the force of gravity.

Explanation:

When a ball is fired horizontally along the x-axis from the edge of a table, it will have a constant velocity in the x direction. This is because there are no external forces affecting the horizontal motion of the ball.

However, in the y direction (vertical), the ball will experience a constant, but non-zero acceleration due to the force of gravity. The acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.8 m/s² directed downward. This means that the ball will accelerate downward with a magnitude of 9.8 m/s² throughout its motion in the y direction.

Acceleration is the rate at which the speed and direction of a moving object vary over time. When an object accelerates or decelerates, it experiences changes in speed and direction.