Calculating acceleration due to gravity question

In summary, an object of mass 0.30 kg is thrown vertically upward at an initial speed of 9.0 m/s and reaches a maximum height of 11 metres. The magnitude of the acceleration of the object is 2.
  • #1
dudforreal
116
0

Homework Statement



An astronaut is standing on Mars. The astronaut throws an object of mass 0.30 kg
vertically upward at an initial speed of 9.0 m/s. It reaches a maximum height of
11 metres.
What is the magnitude of the acceleration of the object?

2. The attempt at a solution

I'm really bad at projectile motion and don't know how to start the question. I know the answer from memory but i don't know how to calculate it using the given information. I tried F=ma but i didn't have the force. I also tried using Newton's 3 equations but time and distance the object landed was missing. Can anyone help in solving this equation?
 
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  • #2
What do you know about an object at the top of its trajectory?
 
  • #3
vertical velocity is zero...?
 
  • #4
you have initial velocity, final velocity and displacement
 
  • #5
can you show me what equation to use?
 
  • #6
Right, vertical velocity is zero. Furthermore, do heavier objects fall quicker under gravity? You have more than enough info to answer this question.
 
  • #7
It reaches at max. height after traveling 11m. so at that point velocity is zero.
Now you know initial as well as final velocity.And you also know displacement. so you can use third equation of motion to find acceleration.
vf^2=vi^2+2as.
 
  • #8
its max height is 11m, not its displacement at max height
 
  • #9
we are considering just vertical quantities. So we can take it as displacement.
According to my method I'm getting acceleration as 3.681 m/s^2.
Is it correct?
 
  • #10
yes. so I got the answer and turns out to be negative. Is it because it is downwards vertical acceleration and we do not include it in the final answer and by the way is mass irrelevant?
 
  • #11
mass can be considered irrelevant. yes it is negative because acceleration is a vector and we took upwards as positive in our kinematics equation (i.e. positive 11m)
 
  • #12
thanks for the help guys!
 

1. What is the formula for calculating acceleration due to gravity?

The formula for calculating the acceleration due to gravity is a = g, where a is the acceleration and g is the gravitational constant, which is approximately 9.8 m/s² on Earth.

2. How do you calculate acceleration due to gravity on different planets?

To calculate acceleration due to gravity on different planets, you need to know the planet's mass and radius. Then, you can use the formula g = Gm/r², where G is the universal gravitational constant, m is the planet's mass, and r is the planet's radius.

3. What is the difference between gravitational acceleration and free fall acceleration?

Gravitational acceleration is the acceleration due to the gravitational force of a massive body, such as a planet. Free fall acceleration, on the other hand, is the acceleration an object experiences when falling freely under the influence of gravity, without any other forces acting on it. Gravitational acceleration is always constant, while free fall acceleration can vary depending on the object's position and the strength of the gravitational force.

4. How does altitude affect acceleration due to gravity?

As altitude increases, the acceleration due to gravity decreases. This is because the distance between the object and the center of the Earth increases, resulting in a weaker gravitational force. At higher altitudes, the value of g can be slightly lower than 9.8 m/s² on Earth.

5. Can you calculate acceleration due to gravity without knowing the mass of the object?

Yes, it is possible to calculate acceleration due to gravity without knowing the mass of the object. This is because the mass is a factor that cancels out in the formula for calculating g. However, to calculate the gravitational force acting on an object, you would need to know its mass.

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