Falling objects

In the absence of air resistance, objects fall at the same rate regardless of their
mass or size.
Free falling bodies undergo constant acceleration.
The free-fall acceleration is denoted by the symbol g. This acceleration is directed
downward, toward the center of the Earth, so the sign of the acceleration is
negative.
At the surface of the Earth,
g = - 9.81 m/s2

OR

g = - 32 ft/s2

Review of Equations of Motion with Constant Acceleration:

y = (vi + vf) t

Eq. 1

vf = vi + a t

Eq. 2

y = vi t + a (t)2

Eq. 3

Example 1:

Jason hits a volleyball so that it moves with n initial velocity of

6.0 m/s straight upward. If the volleyball starts from 2.0 m above the
floor, how long will it be in the air before it strikes the floor? Assume
that Jason is the last player to touch the ball before it hits the floor.

Solution:

Given:

vi = 6.0 m/s a = -0.91 m/s2

yi = 2 m

yf = 0 m

so

y = 0 m 2m =

-2m
Unknown: t = ?
Equation:

Eq. 3: y = vi t + a (t)2
-2 = 6.0 t + (-9.81) (t)2
-4.9 (t)2 + 6.0 t + 2 = 0
Use the quadratic equation:

6.0

36 4( 4.9)( 2)
2( 4.9)

6.0

36 4( 4.9)(2)
6.0 75.2

= -0.27 s or
2( 4.9)
9.8

1.50s

1. For Example 1 above, calculate the displacement and velocity of the

volleyball 0.5 s after Jason hits it.
Given:
Unknowns:
Equations:
2. Stephanie serves the volleyball from a height of 0.80 m and gives it an initial
velocity of 7.6 m/s straight up.
a. How high will it go?
b. How long will it take the ball to reach its maximum height? (remember
maximum is at the vertex)
Given:
Unknowns:
Equations:
3. A tennis ball is thrown vertically upward with an initial velocity of 8.0 m/s
a. What will its speed be when it returns to its starting point?
b. How long will it take for it to reach its starting point?
Given:
Unknowns:
Equations:
4. A flowerpot falls from a windowsill 25.0 m above the sidewalk.
a. How fast is the flowerpot moving when it strikes the ground?
b. How much time does a passerby on the sidewalk below have to move out
of the way before the flowerpot hits the ground?
Given:
Unknowns:

Equations:
5. A robot probe drops a camera off the rim of a 24-km-deep crater on Mars,
where the free-fall acceleration is -3.7 m/s 2. Find the time required for the
camera to reach the crater floor and the velocity with which it hits.
Given:
Unknowns:
Equations:
6. Maria throws an apple vertically upward from a height of 1.3 m with an initial
velocity of 2.4 m/s.
a. Will the apple reach Marias friend in a treehouse 5.3 m above the ground?
b. If the apple is not caught, how long will the apple be in the air before it
hits the ground?
Given:
Unknowns:
Equations:

Two Dimensional Motion

In two dimensional motion we have to consider motion in horizontal direction
and motion in the vertical direction. We look at these motions separately.
Projectile motion:
We will focus on the form of two-dimensional motion called projectile motion.
Objects that are thrown into the air and are subject to gravity are called projectiles.

Projectiles follow parabolic trajectories

Vertical motion has acceleration:

acceleration:
g = -9.81 m/s2

OR

Horizontal motion has no

g = -32 ft/s2

a = 0 m/s2

vyf = vyi + g t
Eq. 1

Eq. 1

vxf = vxi

y = vyit + g (t)2

Eq. 2

x = vxit

Eq. 2

Projectiles Launched Horizontally

In the figure to the right, one ball is dropped and another
is launched horizontally.
Which one falls to the ground first?

ball

In two dimensional motion we have to consider

motion in horizontal direction and motion in
the vertical direction. We look at these motions
separately.
Notice that the horizontal velocity remains the
same since there is no acceleration in the
horizontal direction.
The vertical velocity changes because the is
acceleration in the downwards direction.

Example 2: A movie director is shooting a scene that involves dropping a stunt

dummy out of an airplane and into a swimming pool. The plane is 10.0
m above the ground, traveling at a velocity of 22.5 m/s in the positive
x direction. The director wants to know where in the planes path the
dummy should be dropped
so that it will land in the
pool.

Solution:

Given:
-9.81 m/s2

y = -10 m vxi = 22.5 m/s

Unknown: x = ?
Equations: x = vxit

we dont know t

y = vyit + g (t)2
-10 = 0 4.9 (t)2
(t)2 = 10/4.9,
Now use:

so

x = vxit

t = 1.43 s

vyi = 0 m/s

g=

x = 22.5 (1.43) = 32.2 m

1. A pelican flying along a horizontal path drops a fish from a height of 5.4 m
while traveling 5.0 m/s. How far does the fish travel horizontally before it hits
the water below?
Given:
Unknowns:
Equations:

2. Give both the horizontal and vertical values of the velocity of the fish from
problem 1 before the fish enters the water.
Given:
Unknowns:
Equations:

3. A cat chases a mouse across a 1.0 m high table. The mouse steps out of the
way and the cat slides off the table at a speed of 5.0 m/s. Where does the cat
strike the floor?
Given:
Unknowns:
Equations:

4. A bullet is fired horizontally from a pistol, and another bullet is dropped

simultaneously from the same height. Neglecting air resistance, which bullet
hits the ground first?
Given:

Unknowns:
Equations:

5. The fastest recorded pitch in Major League Baseball, thrown by Nolan Ryan in
1974, was clocked at 45 m/s. If a pitch were thrown horizontally with this
velocity, how far would the ball fall vertically by the time it reached home
plate, 18.3 m away?
Given:
Unknowns:
Equations:

6. A person standing at the edge of a seaside cliff kicks a stone over the edge
with a speed of 18 m/s. The cliff is 52 m above the waters surface. How long
does it take for the stone to fall to the water? With what speed does it strike
the water?
Given:
Unknowns:
Equations:

Projectiles Launched at an Angle

If a projectile is launched at an angle to the
horizontal, the projectile has an initial vertical
component as well as a horizontal component.

For example, you are told that a projectile is launched with and initial velocity of
50 m/s at an angle of 60 degrees with the horizontal.
We use triangle trigonometry to find the horizontal and vertical components of
the initial velocity.
Remember that:

sin

v
opposite
x,
hypothenuse
v

so vx = v sin

cos

v
adjacent
y ,
hypothenuse
v

so vy = v cos

The first step for problems where projectiles are launched at an angle
is to calculate:
vxi = vi sin

and

vyi = vi cos

Then use the motion equations:

Vertical motion has acceleration:

acceleration:
g = -9.81 m/s2

OR

g = -32 ft/s2

Horizontal motion has no

a = 0 m/s2

vyf = vyi + g t
Eq. 1

Eq. 1

vxf = vxi

y = vyit + g (t)2

Eq. 2

x = vxit

Eq. 2

Example 3:

A ball is fired from the ground with an initial speed of 45 m/s at

an initial angle of 55 degrees to the horizontal. Find,
a. The horizontal distance traveled when it hits the ground
b. The amount of time the ball is in motion

Solution:

Givens:

vi = 45 m/s

= 55

y = 0 m
Unknowns: x = ?

t = ?

Equations: vxi = vi sin = 45 sin 55 = 36.7

vyi = vi cos = 45 cos 55 = 25.8
x = vxit

need t first

y = vyit + g (t)2
0 = 25.8 t -4.9 (t)2
Factor:

0 = t(25.8 4.9t)

So, t = 0

or

t = 25.8/4.9 = 5.27s

x = vxit = 36.7(5.27) = 193.3 m

1. A football is kicked with an initial velocity of 25 m/s at an angle of 45-degrees

with the horizontal. Determine the time of flight, the horizontal displacement,
and the peak height of the football.
Given:
Unknowns:
Equations:

2. A long jumper leaves the ground with an initial velocity of 12 m/s at an angle
of 28-degrees above the horizontal. Determine the time of flight, the
horizontal distance, and the peak height of the long-jumper.
Given:
Unknowns:
Equations:

3. A daredevil jumps a canyon 12 m wide. To do so, he drives a car up a 15

incline.
a. What minimum speed must he achieve to clear the canyon?
b. If the daredevil jumps at this minimum speed, what will his speed be when
he reaches the other side?
Given:
Unknowns:
Equations:

4. A place kicker must kick a football from a point 36.0 m from the goal, and the
ball must clear the crossbar, which is 3.05 m high. When kicked, the ball
leaves the ground with a speed of 20.0 m/s at an angle of 53 to the
horizontal.
a. By how much does the ball clear or fall short of learning the
crossbar?
b. Does the ball approach the crossbar while still rising or while
falling?
Given:
Unknowns:
Equations:

5. In a scene in an action movie, a stuntman jumps from the top of one building
to the top of another building 4.0 m away. After a running start, he leaps at
an angle of 15 with respect to the flat roof while traveling at a speed of 5.0
m/s. Will he make it to the roof, which is 2.5 m shorter that the building he
jumps from?
Given:
Unknowns:
Equations:

6. A stunt driver drives a red mustang convertible up a ramp and off a cliff. The
car leaves the ramp at a velocity of 60 m/s at an angle of 45 o to the
horizontal; the cliff and ramp combined cause the car to begin its projectile
motion at a height of 315m above the ground. If you were coordinating this
stunt, how far away would you put a landing surface so that your stunt driver
was not injured?
Given:
Unknowns:
Equations:

7. A golfer can hit a golf ball horizontal distance of over 300 m on a good drive.
What maximum height would a 301.5 m drive reach if it were launched at an
angle of 25 to the ground?
Given:
Unknowns:
Equations:

8. Salmon often jump waterfalls to reach their breeding grounds. Staring 2.0 m
from a waterfall 0.55 m in height, at what minimum speed must a salmon
jumping at an angle of 32 leave the water to continue upstream?
Given:
Unknowns:
Equations:

9. A quarterback throws the football to a receiver who is 31.5 m own the field. If
the football is thrown at an initial angle of 40 to the ground, at what initial
speed must the quarterback throw the ball? What is the balls highest point
during its flight?
Given:
Unknowns:
Equations: