A golf ball leaves the tee at 25 m/s, 60° above the horizontal. Enter the vertical component of its velocity in m/s, to one decimal place.
Two outfielders throw at the same speed. One throw climbs steeply and seems to hang forever. The flatter throw is back on the grass much sooner. The launch speed never changed. What buys the steep throw its extra time?
You can already read a trajectory: equal horizontal arrows, growing vertical arrows, and an acceleration of 9.8 m/s² downward everywhere. In this lesson the launch itself changes. The speed stays fixed, and only the angle tilts.
A thrower sends a ball off at 20 m/s, 30° above the horizontal. The launch velocity splits into a 17.3 m/s horizontal component and a 10 m/s vertical component.
Now the same thrower sends the same ball at 20 m/s, 60° above the horizontal. The split changes: 10 m/s horizontal and 17.3 m/s vertical.
The launch speed is the same in both throws. The steeper throw simply aims a bigger share of it upward.
The vertical motion sets the time in the air: a bigger upward velocity at launch means a longer climb, and a longer fall back.
The rule, at any one launch speed: a steeper launch stays in the air longer, and a shallower launch comes down sooner.
A spring launcher fires a ball at one set speed, first at 36°, then at 72°. Which launch stays in the air longer?
The launch speed is the same both times.
The 72° launch is steeper.
A steeper launch aims more of the launch velocity upward and less of it forward.
A bigger upward share means a longer climb and a longer fall back.
So the 72° launch stays in the air longer.
A pitching machine set to one speed launches a ball at 35°, then at 55°. Which launch keeps the ball in the air longer?
A golfer hits two shots at the same speed, at 50° and then at 30°. How long does the 30° shot stay in the air compared with the 50° shot?
Two throws leave at the same speed. One is in the air for 3.0 s, the other for 1.8 s. Which throw was steeper?
At one launch speed, a steeper launch stays in the air longer.
The 3.0 s throw stayed up longer than the 1.8 s throw.
So the throw that stayed up 3.0 s was the steeper throw.
A garden hose sprays at one fixed speed. Tilted up from 40° to 70°, the water stays in the air longer. Why?
Four kicks leave the tee at the same speed: 20°, 35°, 50°, and 65°. Which kick stays in the air longest?
Four water jets spray at the same speed: 15°, 30°, 55°, and 70°. Which jet's launch velocity has the largest vertical component?
Two arrows leave a bow at the same speed, at 55° and at 70°. Which quantity decides which arrow stays in the air longer?