On the Apollo 14 mission to the moon, astronaut Alan Shepard hit a golf ball wit

Question

On the Apollo 14 mission to the moon, astronaut Alan Shepard hit a golf ball with a golf club improvised from a tool. The free-fall acceleration on the moon is 1/6 of its value on earth. Suppose he hit the ball with a speed of 29 in/s at an angle 34 degree above the horizontal. How long was the ball in flight? Express your answer to two significant figures and include the appropriate units. How far did it travel? Express your answer to two significant figures and include the appropriate units. Ignoring air resistance, how much farther would it travel on the moon than on earth? Express your answer to two significant figures and include the appropriate units.

Explanation / Answer

a) The time of flight (delta y) = v t + 1/2 g t2

0 = v t + 1/2 g t2    [As vertical displacement is zero]

t = 2 vo / g = [ 2 * 29 * sin 34 ] / (9.8 / 6)

t = 19.86 s

b) horizontal components

xmoon = (v + v) t / 2 = (29 * cos 34 + 29 cos 34) * 19.86 / 2

= 477 m

c) On earth t = 2 v / g  = 2 (29 * sin 34) / 9.8 = 3.31 s

delta x = (v + v) t / 2 = (29 * cos 34 + 29 * cos 34) 3.31 / 2

= 80 m

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