The path described by a projectile represents a:

Correct answer: B. Parabola

  • A. Hyperbola
  • B. Parabola
  • C. Straight line
  • D. Circle

Explanation

When a particle is thrown obliquely near the earth's surface, it moves along a curved path under constant acceleration. This curved path is known as a projectile, and the motion is called projectile motion. In a projectile motion, there are two simultaneous independent rectilinear motions: along the x-axis (horizontal motion) with uniform velocity and along the y-axis (vertical motion) with uniform acceleration. This combination results in a parabolic path, making Option B, 'Parabola,' the correct answer. Options A, C, and D are incorrect because the path of a projectile does not form a hyperbola, circle, or straight line.

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Displacement, velocity and acceleration describe motion, including the horizontal and vertical components of projectile motion. The chapter connects these quantities with Newton's laws, momentum and impulse, then applies conservation of momentum to collisions, distinguishing elastic collisions from inelastic ones.

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