AS Daily A Level Physics question
In a school lab, a launcher fires a small ball from ground level in still air. The next trial must keep the total time in the air the same as before but increase the horizontal distance travelled. Which adjustment to the launch will achieve this?
Answer
The correct answer is D.
Correct: D — Increase the launch speed and decrease the launch angle so the vertical component of speed is unchanged. Keeping the vertical component the same keeps the time of flight the same, while a larger horizontal component increases the range. A increases the vertical component at the same speed, so the time of flight increases rather than staying the same. B holds the horizontal component fixed, so the range does not increase, and the larger angle raises the vertical component, changing the time. C raises both components, so the vertical component increases and the time of flight changes; it does not meet the ‘same time’ condition. D keeps time fixed (same vertical component) and boosts horizontal speed, so the ball lands farther away.