A boy kicks a football from ground level with an initial velocity of 20 m/s at an angle of 30° above the horizontal. What is the horizontal component of its velocity just before it hits the ground?
A) 20 m/s
B) 8.7 m/s
C) 9.8 m/s
D) 17 m/s
E) 0 m/s

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The horizontal component of velocity remains constant in projectile motion (ignoring air resistance). It is given by $ v_x = v \cdot \cos(\theta) $, where $ v = 20 \, \text{m/s} $ and $ \theta = 30^\circ $. Thus, $ v_x = 20 \cdot \cos(30^\circ) = 20 \cdot \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2} \approx 17 \, \text{m/s} $.

A Boy Kicks a Football from Ground Level with an Initial