A projectile is launched at some angle to the horizontal with some initial speed vi, and air resistance is negligible.(a) Is the projectile a freely falling body? (b) What is its acceleration in the vertical direction? (c) What is its acceleration in the horizontal direction?

Explanation:

When a projectile is launched at some angle to the horizontal with some speed vi , and air resistance is negligible , it is definitely a freely falling body .

It is so because it is free to accelerate towards the earth with acceleration of g . Air has no resistance , hence no force is acting on it except the gravitational force . Hence it is a freely falling body .

b )

The acceleration in the vertical direction is due to force exerted by the earth that is gravitational force on it  . Hence its  acceleration is equal to g in vertically downward direction .

c )

It has zero acceleration in horizontal direction . It is so because no force is acting on it in horizontal direction . So no acceleration will be present in horizontal direction . It will move in horizontal direction with constant speed of vi cos θ where θ is the angle vi make with the horizontal .

hypothesising or postulating

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