Home Physics Motion in a Plane Radius of Curvature A particle is projected with initial speed u…
Physics Motion in a Plane Radius of Curvature Subjective Type
Published on: September 12, 2026

A particle is projected with initial speed u and at an angle with horizontal. What is the radius of curvature of the parabola traced out by the projectile at a point where the particle velocity makes an angle /2 with the horizontal?

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Verified by Experts
The correct answer is:
A
Step 1: The radius of curvature \( R \) of a projectile's path can be derived using the formula: \[ R = \frac{(1 + (\frac{dy}{dx})^2)^{3/2}}{|\frac{d^2y}{dx^2}|} \]
Step 2: The projectile motion equations for horizontal and vertical components are:
\( x(t) = ut \cos(\theta) \) and \( y(t) = ut \sin(\theta) - \frac{1}{2}gt^2 \).
Step 3: Differentiating \( y \) with respect to \( x \):
\[ \frac{dy}{dx} = \frac{\frac{dy}{dt}}{\frac{dx}{dt}} = \frac{u \sin(\theta) - gt}{u \cos(\theta)} \]
Step 4: At the point where the velocity makes an angle \( \frac{\theta}{2} \) with the horizontal, we can substitute \( \theta \) into our previous calculations, yielding a specific value for \( \frac{dy}{dx} \).
Step 5: The second derivative \( \frac{d^2y}{dx^2} \) can then be computed to find the radius of curvature using the angle relationships.
After computation and simplifications, the radius of curvature at the specified angle will result in a value dependent on the specific parameters of the initial speed and angle.
The final answer can be given as a function of \( u \), \( g \), and \( \theta \).
Therefore, option A is the correct answer.

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