A ball is thrown horizontally from the top of a 20m high hill. It strikes the ground at an angle of 45°. With what speed was it thrown?

A ball is thrown horizontally from the top of a 20m high hill. It strikes the ground at an angle of 45°. With what speed was it thrown?

Explanation

Ball falls 20m, so time taken is found using:

s = 1/2 gt²

20 = 1/2 × 10 × t²

t = 2s

Vertical velocity when it hits the ground:

v_y = gt = 10 × 2 = 20 m/s

Since it hits at 45°, v_x = v_y = 20 m/s