Physics - Understanding Question Intents

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SKaminski

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Hey,

Today I took a 30 minute in-class exam, and got answers wrong strictly because i was not interpreting the question correctly. Its clear how these questions SHOULD be interpreted, but i'm trying to understand how I should be reading these problems.

(Previously we were given the formula's for kinetic motion, per section 1 of the EK book. This corresponds to section 1 of the TBR book.)

Using the above equations and adjusting the net for the effects of air resistance, Zacchini should place the center of the net at a displacment:

a. exactly equal to X
b. exactly equal to Xo
c. greater than x.
d. less than x.

My answer: a.
Credited answer: d.

Credited answering reasoning: Air resistance shortens flight path.
My answer reasoning: It says that we've already taken air resistance into account (via adjusting). Thus I expect his calculations to have adjusted for it, meaning X.

What do you think the question implied? Why do you think it implied that? Thanks!

------------------------------------

All of the following will affect the time of flight for a projectile experiencing no air resistance except:

I. the mass of the projectile.
II. the initial horizontal velocity of the projectile.
III. the initial vertical velocity of the projectile.

I said that ONLY I had 0 affect on the flight in the absence of air resistance.

The credited answer said that I and II had 0 affect on the flight in the absence of air resistance.

.... Isn't that only true for a 100% completely uniform flat surface? This would require that the entire plane was flat. The object firing the projectile is not on top of a hill, nor on the bottom of a hill. In the distant DISTANT horizon, there are no hills or valley's, what so ever. Additionally, the surface that this object is fired on is not a sphere-like object, else the curvature of the earth would make II valid. This seems like an extremely unreasonable assumption to me.

Thoughts?
 
Hey,

Today I took a 30 minute in-class exam, and got answers wrong strictly because i was not interpreting the question correctly. Its clear how these questions SHOULD be interpreted, but i'm trying to understand how I should be reading these problems.

(Previously we were given the formula's for kinetic motion, per section 1 of the EK book. This corresponds to section 1 of the TBR book.)

Using the above equations and adjusting the net for the effects of air resistance, Zacchini should place the center of the net at a displacment:

a. exactly equal to X
b. exactly equal to Xo
c. greater than x.
d. less than x.

My answer: a.
Credited answer: d.

Credited answering reasoning: Air resistance shortens flight path.
My answer reasoning: It says that we've already taken air resistance into account (via adjusting). Thus I expect his calculations to have adjusted for it, meaning X.

What do you think the question implied? Why do you think it implied that? Thanks!

------------------------------------

All of the following will affect the time of flight for a projectile experiencing no air resistance except:

I. the mass of the projectile.
II. the initial horizontal velocity of the projectile.
III. the initial vertical velocity of the projectile.

I said that ONLY I had 0 affect on the flight in the absence of air resistance.

The credited answer said that I and II had 0 affect on the flight in the absence of air resistance.

.... Isn't that only true for a 100% completely uniform flat surface? This would require that the entire plane was flat. The object firing the projectile is not on top of a hill, nor on the bottom of a hill. In the distant DISTANT horizon, there are no hills or valley's, what so ever. Additionally, the surface that this object is fired on is not a sphere-like object, else the curvature of the earth would make II valid. This seems like an extremely unreasonable assumption to me.

Thoughts?

For the first, the bolded part of the question is instructing YOU to adjust for the air resistance. Essentially, he is saying that the idealized equations have calculated a distance of x, and asking you to tell him which direction you should adjust the estimate in order to take air resistance into account.

For the second question, you are simply reading too much into it. You are trying to think of all the little trick scenarios when the question is really only asking whether you understand the basic concept that flight time is dependent on how long the projectile takes to fall to the ground, regardless of horizontal motion.

You seem to understand the physics involved; now you just have to practice, practice, practice until you learn to interpret the questions quickly! You just need to practice the actual test-taking, which sadly can't be learned out of a books or Wikipedia!
 
You seem to understand the physics involved; now you just have to practice, practice, practice until you learn to interpret the questions quickly! You just need to practice the actual test-taking, which sadly can't be learned out of a books or Wikipedia!
But i'm use to Physics trying to trick me. 🙁

In all seriousness, thanks for the quick response. Anything helpful is always appreciated!
 
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