Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-physics-b-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2011/paper-1/section-a/a5/solution
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2011 Paper 1 Section A A5 Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-20
Use a local horizontal plane, constant gravity and first order in Earth's angular speed. Let point along the initial horizontal shot, to the gunner's left and upward. At the North pole, . Maximum unperturbed range at equal launch and landing heights requires a elevation, givingThe leading Coriolis acceleration is , while vertical motion has no first-order Coriolis correction. With zero initial lateral displacement and velocity,Here , and . The miss is to the right of the aiming direction, independent of its azimuth at the pole. The flight time is about , so . This polar projectile Coriolis deflection uses the usual flat, uniform-gravity approximation; planetary curvature and variation of gravity are beyond its accuracy. Using the polar gravity rather than changes the estimate by less than one percent. Earth's sidereal rotation period, rather than the solar day, sets .[ref]
Earth Fact Sheet by National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Orbital parameters: sidereal rotation period 23.9345 hours; bulk parameters: polar surface acceleration
Polar projectile deflection
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