Question

What is the angle between velocity and acceleration of projectile at the highest point?

Answer 1

Answer:

the angle between velocity and acceleration is a right angle, or 90 degrees. If the projectile was launched straight up, the velocity is zero at the highest point, so the angle between velocity and acceleration is undefined.

Explanation:

This is a trick question, in that we do not have to know the initial velocity (angle and direction) of the

projectile. We do have to assume that the projectile was launched with both a horizontal and an upward

component of velocity, and did not hit an obstacle before it started to fall.

At the highest point, the projectile was rising and is not yet falling, so the velocity must be horizontal

The acceleration is always vertical. Therefore the angle between velocity and acceleration is a right

angle, or 90 degrees.

If the projectile was launched straight up, the velocity is zero at the highest point, so the angle between

velocity and acceleration is undefined.

If the projectile was launched horizontally, or with a downward component of velocity, then the highest

point is the point where it was launched, and the angle between velocity and acceleration is the angle

from the vertical at which it was launched.

If the projectile is launched with an upward component of velocity, but strikes an obstacle while still

rising, then the highest point is the point where it struck the obstacle, and the angle between velocity

and acceleration is the angle from the vertical at which it struck the obstacle