Two identical balls are thrown from the top of a building with the same speed. Ball 1 is thrown horizontally, while ball 2 is thrown at an angle θ above the horizontal. Neglecting air resistance, which ball will have the greatest speed when hitting the ground below?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since both balls have the same initial speed, the only difference is the angle at which ball 2 is thrown. However, since the force of gravity acts vertically downward, it does not affect the horizontal component of the motion. This means that both balls will hit the ground at the same time, and therefore with the same speed.

Two Identical Balls Are Thrown from the Top of a Building