I’ve just created this question for my undergraduated students that are going to apply for an engineering institute. I’m not quite sure if it’s a nice question, so I’d like to know your opinions or suggestions about it (and yours solutions, of course!)A flying saucer with mass 5m and radius R is at rest and preparing to destroy our beloved Earth. An aircraft is therefore sent to prevent it and shoots a missile with mass m and velocity v1 at the same plane of the flying saucer. The UFO reacts and launches an intercepting missile of mass m and velocity v2 that makes a 30o angle with the direction of the first projectile. If both projectiles meet after a distance h from the launching point of the second missile and then keep moving together, find the minimal value of v2 for which the aircraft will not hit the target.PS.: Ignore friction and gravitational forcesPlease check the attached picture.
Marcos Valle asked