Will an Object Launched Through a Curved Tube Travel Straight or Curve?

[atomant]

supposing there was a circular piece of tubing that was cut in half, we name the 2 ends A and B. Then into the end A we put in an object and launch it at high speeds. Now my question is, when the object exits from B will it travel in a st. line or will it curve?..if it does curve, will it be in the direction of A?

 

[topsquark]

supposing there was a circular piece of tubing that was cut in half, we name the 2 ends A and B. Then into the end A we put in an object and launch it at high speeds. Now my question is, when the object exits from B will it travel in a st. line or will it curve?..if it does curve, will it be in the direction of A?

You can look at this as an exercise into the Law of Inertia. When the ball leaves B (ignoring the force of gravity) the ball will continue in motion in a straight line because there is nothing to keep it from doing so. (If we are doing this on the Earth, then yes the ball travels in a parabola, just like any other projectile.)

-Dan

 

[pallidin]

Right. Please do not assume that "curving" the path of a moving projectile prior to release somehow imparts any tendency for the released projectile to continue curving.
There are notable exceptions, such as "curve ball" in baseball, but a curve ball works due to an entirely different interaction than the one you are describing.