"To v^2 or not to v^2?" Cannon-ball flight, Newton and school physics
Michael M. Stolnitz, Saratov State University, Saratov, Russia
Abstract
When explaining (attributed to Newton) the release of a cannonball emitted from a cannon at the top of a tower when its initial velocity increases, it is assumed that the distance traveled by the body before falling to the ground is proportional to the first power of the speed. From school physics we know that this distance is proportional to the square of the velocity. Was Newton wrong?
It turns out that the indicated dependencies are two limiting cases of the general formula. In general, the dependence is more complex.
This problem can be considered as a simple model of the relationship between opposing theories (for example, the systems of Ptolemy and Copernicus), which turn out to be special cases of a more general one.
Speaker
Michael M. Stolnitz
Saratov State University
Russia
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