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Projectile from hill, height, speed, time

Short answer

Resolve initial velocity: v_x = 103.9 m/s, v_y0 = 60 m/s. Maximum height above projection is v_y0²/(2g) = 183.5 m. Final speed from v_y² = v_y0² + 2g(100 m) gives 127.9 m/s at 35.7° below horizontal; time of flight 13.72 s.

A bullet is fired at an angle of 30∘30^\circ to the horizontal from a point 'P' on a hill and it strikes a target which is 100 m lower than the level of projection. The initial velocity of the bullet is 120 m/s. Neglecting the air resistance calculate: i) The maximum height to which the bullet will rise above the horizontal ii) The actual velocity with which it will strike the target iii) The total time required for the flight of bullet

Take g=9.81 m/s2g=9.81\ \text{m/s}^2 and the origin at P, with yy upward.

Launch components

vx=120cos⁡30∘=103.92 m/s,vy0=120sin⁡30∘=60 m/sv_x=120\cos30^\circ=103.92\ \text{m/s},\qquad v_{y0}=120\sin30^\circ=60\ \text{m/s}

i) Maximum height above the level of projection

At the top vy=0v_y=0:

H=vy022g=6022(9.81)=183.49 mH=\frac{v_{y0}^{2}}{2g}=\frac{60^{2}}{2(9.81)}=183.49\ \text{m}

ii) Velocity on striking the target (y=−100y=-100 m)

vy2=vy02+2g(100)=3600+1962=5562 ⇒ vy=74.58 m/s (downward)v_y^{2}=v_{y0}^{2}+2g(100)=3600+1962=5562\ \Rightarrow\ v_y=74.58\ \text{m/s (downward)} v=103.922+74.582=127.9 m/sv=\sqrt{103.92^{2}+74.58^{2}}=127.9\ \text{m/s}

Direction: tan⁡−1(74.58/103.92)=35.7∘\tan^{-1}(74.58/103.92)=35.7^\circ below the horizontal.

iii) Total time of flight

t=vy0+∣vy∣g=60+74.589.81=13.72 st=\frac{v_{y0}+|v_y|}{g}=\frac{60+74.58}{9.81}=13.72\ \text{s}

Answer: (i) H=183.5H=183.5 m; (ii) v=127.9v=127.9 m/s at 35.7∘35.7^\circ below horizontal; (iii) t=13.72t=13.72 s.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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