Whose side are you on Officer?

A tank fires a projectile at an angle of 60 deg \si{60\ \deg} with the horizontal to destroy a target. Immediately the Commanding Officer realizes that they have fired at one of their own outposts and orders the crew to fire another projectile at an angle of 45 deg \si{45\ \deg} after some time to destroy the earlier projectile in mid air. After how much time (in seconds) was the second projectile fired?

Details and Assumptions

  • Muzzle velocity of both the projectiles is 1670 m / s \si{1670\ \meter/\second} .
  • g = 10 m / s 2 g=\si{10\ \meter/\second^2}
  • Report your answer to 3 decimal places.


The answer is 71.61.

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5 solutions

Michael Mendrin
May 11, 2014

Solve the simultaneous equations:

1670 cos ( 60 ) t = 1670 cos ( 45 ) ( t t ) 1670 sin ( 60 ) t 1 2 g t 2 = 1670 sin ( 45 ) ( t t ) 1 2 g ( t t ) 1670\cos(60)t=1670\cos(45)(t-t')\\ 1670\sin(60)t-\frac { 1 }{ 2 } g{ t }^{ 2 }=1670\sin(45)(t-t')-\frac { 1 }{ 2 } g(t-t')

Done same, but got the answer as 70.68 :(

Anandhu Raj - 6 years, 4 months ago
R.L. Bhat
Jun 3, 2014

For both the projectiles the y is the same.
So xtan(60) - 0.5gx^2/v^2cos^2(60) = xtan(45) - 0.5gx^2/v^2cos^2(45). Now solve for x. t1 = x/vcos(60) and t2 = /vcos(45) required time is t1 - t2

The parametric equations of the first projectile are: x ( t 1 ) = 835 t 1 x(t_1)=835t_1 y ( t 1 ) = 835 3 t 1 5 t 1 2 y(t_1)=835\sqrt{3}t_1-5t_1^2

And for the second projectile: x ( t 2 ) = 835 2 t 2 x(t_2)=835\sqrt{2}t_2 y ( t 2 ) = 835 2 t 2 5 t 2 2 y(t_2)=835\sqrt{2}t_2-5t_2^2

We need that the coordinates of both projectiles to be the same ( x ( t 1 ) = x ( t 2 ) x(t_1)=x(t_2) and y ( t 2 ) = y ( t 2 ) y(t_2)=y(t_2) ). So, make the following equation system: 835 t 1 = 835 2 t 2 835t_1=835\sqrt{2}t_2 835 3 t 1 5 t 1 2 = 835 2 t 2 5 t 2 2 835\sqrt{3}t_1-5t_1^2=835\sqrt{2}t_2-5t_2^2

It's easy to see from the first equation that t 1 = t 2 2 t_1=t_2\sqrt{2} . Replace that value on the second equation and solve: 835 3 ( t 2 2 ) 5 ( t 2 2 ) 2 = 835 2 t 2 5 t 2 2 835\sqrt{3}(t_2\sqrt{2})-5(t_2\sqrt{2})^2=835\sqrt{2}t_2-5t_2^2 t 2 = 167 6 167 2 t_2=167\sqrt{6}-167\sqrt{2}

Now, obtain t 1 t_1 : t 1 = ( 167 6 167 2 ) ( 2 ) t_1=(167\sqrt{6}-167\sqrt{2})(\sqrt{2}) t 1 = 334 3 334 t_1=334\sqrt{3}-334

And, our answer, by logic, will be t 1 t 2 t_1-t_2 , so: t 1 t 2 = 167 2 + 334 3 167 6 334 71.61 t_1-t_2=167\sqrt{2}+334\sqrt{3}-167\sqrt{6}-334\approx\boxed{71.61}

Ishan Tarunesh
May 22, 2014

Given a diagram showing the two projectiles fired at angles θ \theta and ϕ \phi Projectile Projectile The first projectile was fired at t = 0 and let us assume that the second projectile was fired at t = Δ \Delta t time after the first one.
Since the second projectile must destroy the first one in its path there must be a common point in the trajectories of both projectile
Let us assume that the projectile collide at a point (R,h) in their path. So the point (R,h) must satisfy the equations of projectile.
In Vertical Components
Vertical component Vertical component Where v is the inital velocity of both the projectiles and since the second one is fired after Δ \Delta t time after its time to reach h will be t - Δ \Delta t
In Horizontal component
Horizontal component Horizontal component




Solving for Δ \Delta t we get
Final Expression Final Expression
Substituting the value of V, θ \theta , ϕ \phi , and g we get Solution Solution

Horizontal component: V * Cos(60) * t = R = V * Cos(45) * (t - dt) .. t/sqrt(2) = (t - dt).......[I]
dt = (1 - 1/sqrt(2)) * t ..........[II]

Vertical Components:
V * Sin(60) * t - (1/2) * 10 * t^2 ..=.. V * Sin(45) * (t - dt) - (1/2) * 10 * (t - dt)^2 ....[III]

Substituting [I] in [III] and trig values and V, and simplifying, t = 244.50

Using [II] to get dt = (1 - 1/sqrt(2)) * 244.50 = 71.61s. Just simplification in calculations !!!

Niranjan Khanderia - 7 years ago
Luciano Riosa
Sep 30, 2014

Note. This problem is very, very far from reality because .... lacks air. :)

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