Question

An apple falls from an apple tree growing on a 20° slope. The apple hits the ground with an impact velocity of 16.2 m/s straight downward. What is the component of the apple's impact velocity parallel to the surface of the slope?
a.5.5 m/s
b.8.7 m/s
c.12 m/s
d.15 m/s

Answer 1

Apple hits the surface with speed 16.2 m/s

The angle made by the apple velocity with normal to the incline surface is given as 20 degree

now the component of velocity which is parallel to the surface and perpendicular to the surface is given as

$v_{perpendicular} = v cos20$

$v_{parallel} = v sin20$

so here we have

$v_{parallel} = 16.2 sin20$

$v_{parallel} = 5.5 m/s$

so its velocity along the incline plane will be 5.5 m/s