Question

Two bodies are falling with negligible air resistance side by side, above a horizontal plane. If one of the bodies is given an additional horizontal acceleration during its descent, then it

• A. Strikes the plane at same time as the other body
• B. Strikes the plane before other body strikes
• C. follows a straight line path along the resultant acceleration vector
• D. None of the above

Answer 1

The correct option is A

Strikes the plane at same time as the other body

Explanation for correct option:

Option A:

1. If both bodies are falling on a horizontal plane and one body is given an acceleration in the horizontal direction then it does not change the time to reach the horizontal plane as there is no change in the vertical direction.
2. Horizontal acceleration will only result in a change in horizontal range and horizontal velocity.

Explanation of incorrect option :

Option B:

1. When horizontal acceleration is given to one of the body it does not effect the change in vertical direction .
2. Therefore the body will not strikes the plane before other body strikes.

Option C:

1. As there is no change in the vertical direction the resultant is zero therefore the body does not follows a straight line path along the resultant acceleration vector .

Option D:

Since option A is the correct option, therefore none of these are correct is an incorrect option.

Hence, the correct option is option A.