Physics: A Golf Ball is hit with a force of 50 Newton's, what angle yeilds maximim length? Height?

Question

I don't have an answer to this one, just looking for the correct one, with proof if possible.

Question again:

A golf ball is hit with a force of 50 Newton's, disregarding air resistence, and assuming all other quantities are constant, what angle should the ball be hit at to yeild maximum length? Height?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Many responders have said that max. distance is achieved by driving the ball at 45 degrees to the horizontal. This was true when Alan Shepard hit a golf ball on the moon, because it had no atmosphere. And maybe that's the answer you want, since you said "ignore air resistance," but on earth that's not the right answer.

A golf ball's flight is strongly affected by the spin on the ball (as anyone trying to cure a slice knows all too well). This effect is increased by the dimples on the ball (whose purpose is to break up the laminar flow over the surface, in order to minimize the tendency for a vacuum to develop behind the ball in flight and slow it down).

A properly struck golf ball has backspin, which makes it rise above the initial direction of its path (or at least to fall more slowly). As a result, the ball can be driven farther if it is launched at less than a 45 degree angle. By driving it at a lower angle, the ball has much more forward velocity than it would at 45 degrees. And because of the backspin, it stays aloft longer, taking advantage of this higher forward velocity.

That doesn't answer your question as to what the optimum angle is, but it's less than 45 degrees. You can be sure that if it were 45 degrees, the people who play golf for a living would be hitting their drives much higher than they do. In fact, you can probably watch the pros play and get a pretty good idea of the ideal angle, because you can be sure that they have studied it.

Answer 2

45

Answer 3

Maximum length would be an angle of 45degrees.
(Half of the force goes to propelling the ball forwards and half of the force goes to pushing it upwards and keeping it above teh ground as long as possible)

Maximum height would be an angle of 90degrees (straight up in the air so all the force goes to gaining height)

Answer 4

maximum distance --> 45 degrees
The maximum range, for a given total initial speed v, is obtained when vh = vv, i.e. the initial angle is 45 degrees.

maximum height -----> straight up

Answer 5

Length is 45
Height is 90

Answer 6

ALWAYS 45 DEGREES!