A cannon, really, is simply a kind of gun in which the mass of the “bullet” is very large. As such, it obeys the same laws of projectile motion, and understanding projectile physics will help you understand cannon physics.
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Why is 45 degrees the best launch angle?
The sine function reaches its largest output value, 1, with an input angle of 90 degrees, so we can see that for the longest-range punts 2ฮธ = 90 degrees and, therefore, ฮธ = 45 degrees. A projectile, in other words, travels the farthest when it is launched at an angle of 45 degrees.
At what speed does the cannonball need to be launched?
It seems likely to be in between 250 and 100 m/s (250 m/s is about 820 feet per second).
How do you do projectile problems in physics?
How do cannons work?
A cannon is a remarkably simple device. It consists of a strong metal tube with a plug at one end. There is a small hole for a fuse drilled through the tube. You load gunpowder into the tube from the open end of the cannon and then insert a cannon ball so that the gunpowder and ball are pressed against the plugged end.
How do human cannons work?
Cannon. The impetus in the cannon is provided either by a spring or jet of compressed air. This makes the device work more like a catapult, where the cylinder propelling the human stops at the mouth of the cannon. Some cannons utilize nitrocellulose, specifically the dinitrate ester, cellulose dinitrate (pyroxylin).
At what angle height of projectile is maximum?
The textbooks say that the maximum range for projectile motion (with no air resistance) is 45 degrees.
What angle gives maximum height?
The greater the initial value of vy, the higher that a projectile will rise. The projectile launched at 60-degrees has the greatest vy, and as such the greatest peak height.
What angle do you throw the farthest?
In most cases you should see that a medium, 45-degree angle made the ball go the farthest. When you throw the ball at a very shallow angle, gravity pulls it down and the ground is closer, which ends the throw sooner so it does not have as much time to travel as far forward.
How heavy is a cannon ball?
They weigh from 8 to 10 pounds apiece and measure about 4.1 inches in diameter. These were the solid shot used in the eight-pounder cannons. Six smaller-sized balls (B) may have been shot for four-pounder cannons.
How far can a cannonball fly?
The typical Civil War shell had a range of about 1,500 yards โ or just under a mile.
How powerful is a cannonball?
The casualties from round shot were extremely gory; when fired directly into an advancing column, a cannonball was capable of passing straight through up to forty men. Even when most of its kinetic energy is expended, a round shot still has enough momentum to knock men over and cause gruesome injury.
Is learning projectile motion hard?
Projectile motion is often one of the most difficult topics to understand in physics classes. Most of the time, there is not a direct way to get the answer; you need to solve for a few other variables to get the answer you are looking for.
What is the formula for projectile motion?
The equation for the distance traveled by a projectile being affected by gravity is sin(2ฮธ)v2/g, where ฮธ is the angle, v is the initial velocity and g is acceleration due to gravity. Assuming that v2/g is constant, the greatest distance will be when sin(2ฮธ) is at its maximum, which is when 2ฮธ = 90 degrees.
How do you solve a physics problem?
- Focus on the Problem. Establish a clear mental image of the problem. A.
- Describe the Physics. Refine and quantify your mental image of the problem. A.
- Plan a Solution. Turn the concepts into math. A.
- Execute the Plan. This is the easiest step โ it’s just the algebra/calculus/etc. A.
- Evaluate the Answer. Be skeptical.
How far could a cannon shoot?
Culverins, with their thick walls, long bores, and heavy powder charges, achieved distance; but second class guns like field “cannon,” with less metal and smaller charges, ranged about 1,600 yards at a maximum, while the effective range was hardly more than 500.
How do cannons shoot?
What is inside a cannon?
A cannon is just a metal tube with a closed end and an open end. The closed end has a small fuse hole. To load the cannon, you pour in gunpowder (a mixture of charcoal, sulfur and potassium nitrate), and then drop in a cannonball.
What pushes a person out of a human cannon?
Allan McPherson, founder of the Blackpool Circus School, says that the firing mechanism for human cannonballs usually works by releasing compressed air. The amount and pressure of the air depends on the size of the person involved and how far they need to go.
Who was the first human cannonball *?
The first ever recorded human cannonball took place at the Royal Aquarium in London on 10 April 1877. A 14 year old called Rossa Matilda Richter (with a stage name of Zazel) was shot out of a cannon at the enormous venue in Westminster. It did her career no end of good because she went on to tour with Barnum’s circus.
What happened to the human cannonball?
The death of a “human cannonball” who was fired into the air at a stunt show was an accident, an inquest jury has ruled. Matthew Cranch, 24, from Newquay, Cornwall, died when a net failed at Scott May’s Daredevil Stunt Show in Kent in April 2011.
What is maximum height formula?
h = v 0 y 2 2 g . This equation defines the maximum height of a projectile above its launch position and it depends only on the vertical component of the initial velocity.
What is the formula for Max range?
Maximum Range of Projectile Now that the range of projectile is given by R = u 2 sin โก 2 ฮธ g , when would be maximum for a given initial velocity .
What factors affect projectile motion?
FACTORS AFFECTING PROJECTILE MOTION There are three main factors that affect the trajectory of an object or body in flight: the projection angle, magnitude of projection velocity and height of projection.
Why is 45 degrees not the best launch angle?
A launch at 45 degrees would allow the ball to remain in the air for a longer time, but it would then be launched at a lower horizontal speed at the start and it would slow down more because of the longer flight time.