(published on 10/22/2007)
No, the angle of the upward ramp is important. If it's too level, the car will fall down too quickly. If it's too steep, the car won't move much sideways. The angle for the farthest sideways travel depends on how fast the car is going when it leaves the ramp and how high it is when it leaves the ramp. Perhaps you're wondering whether the angle of the downward ramp matters if you keep the same upward launch ramp. In the simple case where we ignore friction, the angle of the downward ramp doesn't matter.
By the way, the previous answer was a bit simpler than the real world. Air friction will slightly slow down that sideways motion.
Mike W.
posted without vetting until Lee returns
(published on 01/13/2015)
