Help with Kinematics Physics problem

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a kinematics problem involving the motion of a rock tossed straight up on Planet X, with given initial and final velocities and a time duration. The goal is to determine the local gravitational acceleration.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster seeks guidance on how to approach the problem and expresses uncertainty about the equations involved. Some participants suggest using a differential equation approach and provide a formula for gravitational acceleration. Others raise questions about the units of measurement for the answer and the implications of time units on the problem's complexity.

Discussion Status

Participants are exploring different interpretations of the problem and discussing the implications of unit choices. There is no explicit consensus on a single approach, but some guidance has been offered regarding the use of equations and the nature of gravitational acceleration.

Contextual Notes

There is a noted confusion regarding the time duration in the problem, with one participant admitting to a mistake in copying the time value. Additionally, the discussion touches on the assumptions of constant gravitational fields and the potential complications if different time units are considered.

BlasterV
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Planet X.

Toss rock straight up in air at 17 m/s (initial speed).
After 14.2, the rock is falling towards him at 8.56 m/s

What is magnitude of the local gravitation acceleration?

Can someone show me how to do this, OR show me the equation for solving this type of problem? thanks

In terms of showing work, I can't even find an equation or an approach that I would be confident handing in as an answer, so I haven't gotten past the "how I approach this" point in the problem.
 
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[tex]a=\frac{dv}{dt}[/tex]

this is just about all you need to know to solve this problem...a first order linear differential equation with constant coefficients (remember signs)
 
Spectre5 said:
[tex]a=\frac{dv}{dt}[/tex]

this is just about all you need to know to solve this problem...a first order linear differential equation with constant coefficients (remember signs)

The formula is the correct one and the problem is simplified assuming constant gravitation field of intensity "g".Then
[tex]g=\frac{v_{0}+v_{f}}{t}}[/tex] which gives exactly 1.8 a bit more than the value on the moon.
 
What units would the answer be in? I want to double check and make sure I got it right.
 
BlasterV said:
What units would the answer be in? I want to double check and make sure I got it right.

I specifically left it without uniits,because i thought u specifically left time without units in the problem's text itself.It was some sort of a "payback".If those are seconds (it makes sense to think that way,in any unit system time's unit is second),then [itex]g=1.8\frac{m}{s^2}[/itex].If those were hours/days,then the assumption of constant gravitational field would not hold and the problem would be more compplicated than the author wanted.Or it could hold,but the intensty would be vanishingly small...
 
erm, my bad, it is 14.2 seconds I must of missed it when copying the problem :/
 

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