A projectile is launched on the Earth with a certain initial velocity and moves without air resistance. Another projectile is launched with the same initial velocity on the Moon, where the acceleration due to gravity is one-sixth as large. How does the maximum altitude of the projectile on the Moon compare with that of the projectile on the Earth?

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Physics

Reina

4 October, 22:01

A projectile is launched on the Earth with a certain initial velocity and moves without air resistance. Another projectile is launched with the same initial velocity on the Moon, where the acceleration due to gravity is one-sixth as large. How does the maximum altitude of the projectile on the Moon compare with that of the projectile on the Earth?

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Eliza Olsen · Answer 1

With smaller gravitational forces and therefor less vertical acceleration, the projectile launched on the moon ... with the same initial speed and direction ...

- - climbs faster,

- - spends more time climbing,

- - reaches a higher peak,

- - falls slower,

- - spends more time falling, and

- - covers more horizontal distance

than the projectile launched on the Earth.

This is not because of air resistance. It would be true even if there were no air resistance on the Earth. It's entirely a gravity thing.