Question

A cannonball is fired at some angle into the air. In the first second it moves 5 meters horizontally. Assuming it doesn't hit the ground and air resistance is negligible, how far does it move horizontally in the next second?

A) 5 meters
B) 10 meters
C) 15 meters
D) 20 meters

Answer 1

In projectile motion without air resistance, the horizontal velocity remains constant. The cannonball will move another 5 meters in the second second, which means the correct answer is A) 5 meters.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question concerns the concept of projectile motion in Physics, particularly the horizontal motion component. Since it is given that air resistance is negligible, the horizontal velocity of the cannonball will remain constant throughout its flight. This is because, in the absence of external forces, an object in motion will continue to move at a constant velocity according to Newton's first law of motion, also known as the law of inertia. Therefore, if the cannonball moved 5 meters horizontally in the first second, it will move another 5 meters in the next second as well. This holds true for any subsequent second until the cannonball hits the ground or is acted upon by another force.