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Trajectory Question: Newton's Cannon ?

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Bob

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Apr 15, 2016, 6:11:18 PM4/15/16
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Hello,

Was wondering about this.

Re Newton's famous Cannon experiment:

With a moderate muzzle velocity, the ball falls to earth.
I am fairly sure that the path it takes is parabolic.
True ?

With the correct additional velocity, the ball has enough velocity
to be able to circle the earth and return.
Assuming it just "kisses" the surface, I believe it (then) follows a
circular orbit as it goes around and around.
True ?

But again, the initial trajectory would still be parabolic, wouldn't it ?
True ?

At what point does it change, therefore, from a parabolic to the
circular orbit ?

Bob

Jolly Roger

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Apr 15, 2016, 6:26:50 PM4/15/16
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This is rec.media.players.portable.ipod.

...

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Jamie Kahn Genet

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Apr 27, 2016, 3:47:58 AM4/27/16
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Jolly Roger <jolly...@pobox.com> wrote:

> On 2016-04-15, Bob <rgs...@notme.invalid> wrote:
> > Hello,
> >
> > Was wondering about this.
> >
> > Re Newton's famous Cannon experiment:
> >
> > With a moderate muzzle velocity, the ball falls to earth.
> > I am fairly sure that the path it takes is parabolic.
> > True ?
> >
> > With the correct additional velocity, the ball has enough velocity
> > to be able to circle the earth and return.
> > Assuming it just "kisses" the surface, I believe it (then) follows a
> > circular orbit as it goes around and around.
> > True ?
> >
> > But again, the initial trajectory would still be parabolic, wouldn't it ?
> > True ?
> >
> > At what point does it change, therefore, from a parabolic to the
> > circular orbit ?
>
> This is rec.media.players.portable.ipod.

Confused people... :-D
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